Targa Rally crash near Rotorua: Witness describes ‘big ball of flames’ after car hits tree

The remnants of a Targa Rally car after a fiery crash on Bryce Rd on Thursday. Photo / Paul McDowell

A local farmer believes wind direction saved two Targa Rally participants’ lives after a fiery crash south of Rotorua.

Emergency services were called to Bryce Rd just after 9.30am yesterday after the car crashed into a tree during the race.

Two people were injured, one of whom was flown to Waikato Hospital.

Deer farmer Paul McDowell said he was working in the deer shed on his farm when he got a call from his wife saying she could see smoke billowing from near the neighbour’s property.

He was aware the Targa Rally was on, so he told her to open the gate at the top of the race.

He grabbed two large fire extinguishers from his shed and headed towards the road.

“The car was a big ball of flames.”

As soon as he saw the scene, he realised the fire extinguishers were not going to be much use.

There were already a couple of other cars on the scene.

“Just as I got there, they dragged two people out of the car.”

McDowell said he needed to go back to his farm quickly because the flames and the smoke were upsetting the animals.

He believed the strong wind and its direction saved the lives of the two people in the car.

“It was a raging bloody fire, but one thing I would say is they were very lucky the wind was blowing the way it was ... The car was on its side.

“It was blowing the flames away from the vehicle where they were. If it had been blowing the other way, it would have blown the flames into them.”

He felt sure someone must have died, given the seriousness of the crash and the flames, but he was pleased to read afterwards that both had survived.

Targa Rally is a five-day event raced in stages on closed public roads around the North Island.

Fire and Emergency NZ said two trucks were called out. The crews found a car crashed into a tree and on fire.

Hato Hone St John told the Rotorua Daily Post that two ambulances, one rapid response unit, and one helicopter were called to the crash.

One person was flown to Waikato Hospital in a critical condition, and one was taken to Rotorua Hospital by road in a serious condition.

According to the Rotorua Lakes Council website, Bryce Rd was closed yesterday morning for a stage of the Targa Rally.

Rally organisers declined to comment.

Kelly Makiha is a senior journalist who has reported for the Rotorua Daily Post for more than 25 years, covering mainly police, court, human interest and social issues.