Pregnant woman, toddler among five hurt in crash at Devil's Staircase

Five people, including a toddler and pregnant woman, have been hurt in a head-on collision between two cars on Kingston Rd at Devil's Staircase.

Emergency services were called to the scene on the south-eastern shores of Lake Wakatipu, about 10 kilometres north of Kingston, about 1.40pm.

Three people were in a moderate condition and the remaining pair had minor injuries, St John spokesman Ian Henderson said. All were taken to Lakes District Hospital.

Both vehicles were badly damaged.

Rural fire crews from Frankton, Queenstown and Kingston used cutting equipment to free two people who were trapped in the wreckage, a fire service spokesman said.

Three occupants of one vehicle, including the toddler and a pregnant woman, were understood to be tourists, while the two occupants of the other vehicle, who were trapped, understood to be New Zealanders.

The crash closed the road but one lane has been reopened, a police spokeswoman said.

The Serious Crash Unit had been called.

- Additional reporting from the Otago Daily Times