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Home / Rotorua Daily Post

Car ploughs through four Rotorua properties

Rotorua Daily Post
9 Jan, 2018 07:01 PM2 mins to read

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A car has ploughed through four Rotorua properties and jumped a fence, before smashing into the side of a house.

Fairy Springs Rd homeowner Hamish Lee was in bed asleep just after 2am when he felt the impact.

The car left devastation on Fairy Springs Rd.  Photo / Ben Fraser
The car left devastation on Fairy Springs Rd. Photo / Ben Fraser

"It was like a massive earthquake."

He went outside to find a car had smashed into the wall of his kitchen, bursting a water main.

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Nobody was in the car.

Lee said his house was badly damaged, but fortunately it was insured.

Neighbour Charles Souta was also asleep when he heard a loud bang.

A car ploughed through four Fairy Springs Rd properties in Rotorua before smashing into the side of a house early on Wednesday morning. Photo/ Ben Fraser
A car ploughed through four Fairy Springs Rd properties in Rotorua before smashing into the side of a house early on Wednesday morning. Photo/ Ben Fraser
A car ploughed through four Fairy Springs Rd properties in Rotorua before smashing into the side of a house early on Wednesday morning. Photo/ Ben Fraser
A car ploughed through four Fairy Springs Rd properties in Rotorua before smashing into the side of a house early on Wednesday morning. Photo/ Ben Fraser
A car ploughed through four Fairy Springs Rd properties in Rotorua before smashing into the side of a house early on Wednesday morning. Photo/ Ben Fraser
A car ploughed through four Fairy Springs Rd properties in Rotorua before smashing into the side of a house early on Wednesday morning. Photo/ Ben Fraser
A car ploughed through four Fairy Springs Rd properties in Rotorua before smashing into the side of a house early on Wednesday morning. Photo/ Ben Fraser
A car ploughed through four Fairy Springs Rd properties in Rotorua before smashing into the side of a house early on Wednesday morning. Photo/ Ben Fraser
A crash on Fairy Springs early has left three homes with damage , one now not able to be occupied.  Photo/ John Borren
A crash on Fairy Springs early has left three homes with damage , one now not able to be occupied. Home owner Hamish Lee.  Photo/ John Borren
A crash on Fairy Springs early has left three homes with damage , one now not able to be occupied. Home owner Hamish Lee in his kitchen.  Photo/ John Borren
A crash on Fairy Springs early has left three homes with damage , one now not able to be occupied. Home owner Hamish Lee.Photo/ John Borren

Image 1 of 12: A car ploughed through four Fairy Springs Rd properties in Rotorua before smashing into the side of a house early on Wednesday morning. Photo/ Ben Fraser

"I came out to see what the bang was and the first thing I thought was 'oh s*** the pole'."
He said a young woman was lying on the ground with "blood pouring out of her head".

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"I thought she was dead until she got up."

A car has ploughed through four Rotorua properties before smashing into the side of a house on Fairy Springs Rd. Luckily nobody was injured.

Posted by Rotorua Daily Post on Tuesday, 9 January 2018

St John Ambulance said one person was taken to Rotorua Hospital in a moderate condition.

Rotorua Fire Brigade senior station officer Tony Kelly said the brigade helped police with a power pole that had come down.

The scene on Fairy Springs Rd.  Photo/Ben Fraser
The scene on Fairy Springs Rd. Photo/Ben Fraser

"There was a bit of carnage, about 100m of debris.

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"When our guys got there, there was no one in the car, so there was no one trapped."

He said firefighters made sure the people in the houses were safe.

A police spokeswoman said the crash, on Fairy Springs Rd, between Cochrane and Kea Sts, was reported at 2.20am.

"Initial reports claimed they heard a loud bang, and it appeared to be a vehicle which had crashed into a building."

Rotorua police crime prevention manager Brendon Keenan said the car had gone up the steps of a neighbouring deck and hit the guttering, clearing a fence before smashing into the house.
Senior Sergeant Denis Murphy said the crash could have easily been a fatality for those in the car or the house.

A 16-year-old male is in police custody.

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