Pedestrians had bought fish and chips for dinner before fatal crash, resident says

Sunday, 15 April 2018

Diversions in the area had been removed and on Sunday all that could be seen were yellow police markings.

Two Auckland men who died after being hit by a bus had been getting fish and chips for dinner, a resident says.

The men were hit by a Metro Airport bus about 7pm on Saturday at the intersection of Wyllie Rd and Puhinui Rd in Papatoetoe, south Auckland.

Two pedestrians died when they were hit by a bus at this intersection in Papatoetoe.

A police spokesperson said on Sunday the Serious Crash Unit was investigating the circumstances of the crash.

'One of the men who died was in his 20s, the other man was in his 30s,' the spokesperson said.

Two pedestrians were struck and killed by a bus on the corner of Puhinui and Wyllie Road in South Auckland on Saturday.

Rangi Potatau and his wife Ti Potatau live near the intersection.

The family had been watching a movie on Saturday evening when they noticed a bus had parked in front of their house.

Potatau said that at the time, he was surprised and wondered why the bus was parked there.

'When I went outside there was all this traffic,' Potatau said.

Potatau was close enough to see that the men were still alive at that time. 'It was terrible.'

He thought the two men had gone to a local fish and chip shop for dinner.

'There were chips scattered on the road', he said.

Many people in the area had gathered to help, and ambulance crew and the police were at the site until late in the evening, he said.

Ti Potatau said the pair felt sorry for the families of the men and the bus driver.

Ethnic Communities Minister and Manukau East MP Jenny Salesa said her thoughts and prayers went out to the families and friends of the two men.

'I am truly sorry for your loss and I hope our Heavenly Father can bring you comfort during this very challenging time,' Salesa wrote on Facebook.

Following the crash, diversions were put in place, but on Sunday morning they had gone and all that was left at the intersection were yellow police markings on the roadway.

In 2016 figures from the Ministry of Transport showed 25 pedestrians died, 257 were seriously injured and 575 suffered minor injuries in police-reported crashes on New Zealand roads.