Power to 781 cut by crash that injured one

One person was left seriously injured and hundreds were left without electricity after a car crash downed powerlines between Dunedin and Port Chalmers.

Port Chalmers Volunteer Fire Brigade Chief Fire Officer Stephen Hill said two appliances from Willowbank and Port Chalmers stations, were called to reports of a single car hitting a power pole in the Dunedin-Port Chalmers Rd (State Highway 88) at the intersection with Blanket Bay Rd about 3.30pm.

Crews assisted with scene safety, traffic management and patient care until an ambulance could arrive at the scene.

The car hit the concrete power pole with enough force to break it into three pieces.

The road was closed initially while the crash scene was cleared. A lane was later opened up so cruise ship passengers aboard buses could return to Port Chalmers, CFO Hill said.

A St John spokeswoman said one person with serious injuries was taken to Dunedin Hospital by ambulance.

An Aurora spokeswoman confirmed an outage, which left 781 customers from Mt Cargill to Waitati without electricity, was due to the crash.

It was estimated power would be restored about 7.35pm.

An Otago Daily Times photographer at the scene said the crash involved a small blue car.

Traffic, including buses and trucks, were backed up from Blanket Bay Rd to St Leonards Dr until cars were ordered to turn around by emergency services, the photographer said.