Scene of fatal crash near Timaru was 'unbelievable'
Sunday, 3 September 2017
The man who died following a horror three car crash near Timaru on Saturday has been named.
He was Daniel Anderson, aged 40.
Anderson was killed and five others were injured, including a 7-year-old girl who remains in a critical condition, following a horror three-car crash on State Highway 1 near Pareora on Saturday.
The police serious crash unit is investigating the incident.
**READ MORE:
* Woman pulled from car after crash in South Canterbury
* Milk tanker crash on SH1 South Canterbury
* Two people in serious condition after crash near Timaru**
Local Barbara Bowen said when she heard a 'big bang' outside her business at Pareora, south of Timaru, on Saturday, she thought it was her shop signs being blown over in the wind.
Instead, when she went outside all she could see was an 'unbelievable' crash scene.
Bowen, who owns the Top Cafe with her husband Wallace, said she heard a 'big bang' and thought her shop signs had been blown over in the wind.
'I never expected it was an accident, it's quite a shock . . . I just hope those wee kids are pulling through.'
The crash had prompted calls for the 100kmh speed limit on the Timaru-Pareora Highway to be significantly reduced.
She said locals had been trying for years to get the speed limit reduced to 80kmh or 70kmh along the stretch of road, which saw many people turning off onto the The Avenue to enter the Pareora township.
'It's lucky it was not between Monday and Friday as there's always trucks along here that just keep going, they keep going back and forth.'
She said there had been quite a few 'near misses' along the road.
While there was a 85km speed limit further north on the passing lane toward Timaru, the speed limit need to be expanded through to the turnoff to the township, she said.
'Something needs to be done, it's silly, it should be 85kmh all the way or 70kmh.'
Timaru fire station officer Trevor Karton said it was too early to speculate on the precise cause of the crash, 'but when two cars collide head on, on the main road, it's not pretty'.
When his crew arrived on the scene, two people were trapped in one vehicle and at least one other person was trapped in another car.
'People had been moved by the time I got there, but definitely two people were extricated by firefighters from one vehicle.'
Karton said crews from St Andrews, Timaru, Washdyke and Waimate were called to the crash.
St John spokeswoman Noreen Hegarty said five ambulances and three helicopters were called about 3.16pm.
Some St John staff were still at the scene of the crash, between Sands Rd and The Avenue, more than two hours later.
On Saturday, Hegarty said a child in a critical condition and two adults, both in a serious condition, had been taken to Timaru Hospital.
Hegarty said another person in a critical condition was being was being treated at the scene by a trauma team from Dunedin, and would be taken to Dunedin Hospital.
A second child at the scene was originally deemed to be critical, but was later reassessed as being in a serious condition.
The child and another patient in a serious condition, one of whom had been trapped, were being transported to Timaru, from where they would likely be taken to hospital in Dunedin or Christchurch.
Karton said the fire crews set up a landing zone for the helicopters close to the crash scene.
One of the helicopters brought an intensive care doctor to the scene.
Messages of support for the families whose members were involved in the crash have flooded in on social media.
Syretta Ferguson said: 'I work at the dairy in Pareora. We rang the police as soon as it happened. I want to send my condolences and love to all affected by this. Was horrible and will haunt me for a long time.'
Raylene Patricia Wood said: 'It is so sad another life taken on our roads, I just hope everyone else recover quickly and my thoughts are with the family and friends of the man who has died.'
Zaylee Bolstad said: '[I] hope the wee girl and the others make it.'