Rotorua crash: Second person dies, three seriously injured, Te Ngae Rd/SH30 reopens

A second person has died and three others have been seriously injured in a two-vehicle crash that shut down a key Rotorua state highway today.

Emergency services were called to the crash at the intersection of Te Ngae Rd/State Highway 30 and Hannah Rd at Ōwhata about 11.20am.

Earlier today police confirmed one person had died in the accident.

A police statement this evening confirmed a second person had died in hospital after the crash.

Three people remained in Rotorua Hospital with serious injuries.

The highway, at the intersection with Hannah Rd, was closed for several hours after the crash but police and the NZ Transport Agency confirmed about 3.50pm that it had reopened.

The Serious Crash Unit was investigating.

A Hato Hone St John spokesman earlier said four people were taken to hospital by ambulance.

An ambulance leaves the scene of the crash.

Three were in critical condition and one in serious condition.

The road was blocked at the intersections of SH30, Lee Rd and Robinson Ave, causing traffic to build up as heavy vehicles such as logging trucks needed to be diverted back towards Ngongotahā.

FINAL UPDATE 3:50PM
SH30 is now OPEN here. ^MS https://t.co/4FKyjTVudc

— Waka Kotahi NZTA Waikato/BoP (@WakaKotahiWaiBP) December 18, 2023

A Rotorua Daily Post reporter at the scene earlier said police, Fire and Emergency (Fenz) vehicles and four St John ambulances were present.

Three of the ambulances were seen departing the site of the crash with their lights activated.

Part of State Highway 30 was closed in Rotorua after a serious two-vehicle crash. Photo / Maryana Garcia

A Fenz spokesman said crews were called to the two-vehicle crash about 11.18am and people were trapped in each vehicle.

“Crews are working with extraction gear,” he said this morning.

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Three fire trucks and two support vehicles were at the scene.

More to come.