A Fire and Emergency NZ spokesman said initial reports were that the car was on fire.
At the scene they found a car crashed into a pole, and no fire, but it is believed a small fire was extinguished by a local.
In Nelson, one person was killed and three people were taken to Nelson Hospital with serious injures following a crash in Stoke.
Inspector Paul Borrell said the person who died was a 25-year-old woman from the West Coast.
She was one of three passengers who were thrown from the vehicle after it lost control, left the road and rolled. The driver received serious injuries.
The crash occurred on Whakatu Drive shortly after 12.30am.
Fire and Emergency shift manager Andrew Norris said one person was trapped in the car and firefighters had to pull them out.
Those injured were aged from their mid-20s to 30s.
Borrell said the vehicle was travelling from Nelson in the direction of Richmond.
"This crash is a tragedy for the friends and family of the woman killed and
those injured, as well as the wider community.
"Police are committed to reducing death and injury on our roads but we cannot
do it alone, we need everyone's help to keep our roads safe. Road safety is
everybody's responsibility.
"We know there are four main behaviours which contribute to death and injury on our roads; people driving too fast for the conditions, driving while impaired (by alcohol, drugs, or fatigue), driving while distracted – including using a cell phone – and not being properly restrained.
"We want to remind everybody on the roads these holidays to be patient and make a concerted effort to keep each other safe.
"Imagine the person in the car in front of you or coming round the corner contains your whānau or friends.
"Let's all ensure that when we're in our cars we respect each other and each other's right to get where we're going safely."
Nelson Police were asking anyone who witnessed this crash, or saw the vehicle involved around the time of the crash, to contact them on (03) 546 3840.
