Six people were injured, two seriously, in a two-vehicle crash which closed State Highway 88 in Dunedin for almost three hours yesterday.
A Holden Vectra car and a Mitsubishi people-mover crashed on the road between Dunedin and Port Chalmers about 3.20pm.
The vehicles crashed at St Leonards, near Pukeko St.
When emergency services arrived the people-mover had travelled through a fence and stopped near the railway lines. The crashed car stopped in the middle of the road.
Firefighters cut the roof off the car and assisted St John staff to remove a woman, using a stretcher to carry her to an ambulance.
Emergency service staff used stretchers to carry injured motorists from near the people-mover to ambulances waiting near St Leonards Yacht Club.
St John spokesman Ian Henderson said six people were taken by ambulances to the Dunedin Hospital emergency department. Two people sustained serious injuries and four minor to moderate injuries.
A New Zealand Transport Agency spokeswoman said police closed a section of SH88 and light traffic was diverted along St Leonards Dr via Pukeko and Tui Sts until the highway reopened about 6pm. Heavy vehicles were not given an alternative route, she said.
A KiwRail spokeswoman said a freight service was delayed for 20 minutes because of the crash.
A police spokeswoman said they were investigating.
