Fatal crash in Invercargill

At 8.58pm Friday 4th December 2009, Invercargill Emergency Services were called to the scene of a fatal motor vehicle crash which occurred on Matua Road, in the suburb of Otatara, Invercargill.

The crash occurred on a straight section of road in the residential area, governed by a 50 km/hr speed limit and involving a single car with five occupants.

The vehicle in question hit a power pole bringing the pole down across a residential driveway. As a result of the crash, one of the cars occupants was pronounced dead at the scene with the other four occupants taken to Southland Hospital with moderate injuries.

The name of the deceased will not be released at this stage until next of kin can be notified.

Fire Service personnel and Ambulance staff were at the scene for over 2 hours with 4 of the cars occupants having to be cut from the car. This was a difficult extraction over a long period of time due to the extensive damage that the car received.

Power to the area was cut due to the crash and approximately 120 households will be with out power until the damage can be repaired in the morning.

A Serious Crash Investigator attended the incident and will be returning to the scene in the morning.

Speed appeared to be factor in relation to the incident that will be investigated further as the enquiry continues.



Sergeant Dave McKenzie
Invercargill Police