"I’m very glad first responders arrived before me. It’s a very traumatic experience for anybody," Dunedin ICU nurse Elena Gibaviciene said of encountering the scene of two-car crash near Kapiti Rd, just south of Clarendon’s historic brick phosphate building.
As she was heading north out of Milton before 2pm, Ms Gibaviciene pulled over to let ambulances and police cars past, then arrived at the scene herself a few minutes later.
"I was about eight cars back and I could see it was a very bad incident. I believe it was front to front and I could see when they let us pass there was a team working on at least one person, covered from view with material."
As police allowed traffic to pass on the east shoulder of the main road, she saw two white passenger cars — one still in the centre of the road.
"The front of one was completely smashed into nothing. The other had a bit of side damage but very severe damage to the front.
"There wasn’t a turn, it was just straight road. It looked like only speed, nose to nose ... I just don’t understand [it].
"Police were letting a few cars past from one line then a few cars from the other but the lines were huge."
A spokesman for Hato Hone St John confirmed a first-response unit was dispatched from Milton to accompany an ambulance and an operations manager.
Two patients were transported by helicopter to Dunedin Hospital, one in a moderate condition and the other in a minor condition.
A police spokesman said the crash was reported about 1.35pm.
The Serious Crash Unit attended and was "conducting an ongoing investigation", and the blocked section of SH1 was beginning to clear by 6.50pm.
Police want to speak to any witnesses to the accident, including anyone who has relevant dashcam footage.
- Ring 105, quote file 231216/6486.
