Two people have been injured, one seriously, after a three-car crash north of Auckland this morning.
Emergency services were called to the crash at the intersection of State Highway 16 and the Coatesville-Riverhead Highway at 11.22am, Fire Service northern communications shift manager Jaron Phillips said.
No one was trapped but firefighters had to use rescue equipment so that paramedics could access a patient and treat them while they were in a vehicle.
St John Ambulance said in a statement that one person suffered serious injuries and another moderate injuries.
Both were taken to North Shore Hospital.
The left hand doors of a silver station wagon involved in the crash are gone and the front of a white car involved is smashed at the front.
The Fire Service is directing traffic past the crash site and police are still at the scene.
Traffic is very slow moving for several kilometres south of the crash site and motorists are being advised to expect delays.
Stefan Boric of Boric Food Market, which is on the corner of the highways, said members of the Coatesville-Riverhead community had started a petition for a roundabout to be put in at the intersection.
"There was a crash there at Easter so just two weeks ago. I often see crashes and near misses. There's a [southbound] slip lane which people often miss so then they slam on the brakes and try and turn sharp left at the corner. The community's really pushing for it to be made safer."
