A veranda on a portable home has collapsed onto two volunteer firefighters and three locals in the small Hawke's Bay settlement of Te Pohue.
RNZ understands the firefighters were helping a neighbour in a private capacity to erect a portable home at around 9am today when the mechanism lowering the veranda into place broke, causing the structure to fall on them.
Two people have serious injuries and three have moderate injuries. One of the injured has been flown to Hawke's Bay Hospital in Hastings.
Several fire crews from nearby districts were called to the scene on Ohurakura Road in Te Pohue, but have since departed.
Fire and Emergency said two of the five are local volunteer firefighters and they are supporting them and their families.
They said the group had been assisting to erect a structure on private land.
A local told RNZ they heard sirens and had seen a portable home being delivered earlier on Wednesday.
