Photo: RNZ / Kim Baker Wilson
A baby was the person killed in a devastating crash involving a car and school bus in the Hawke’s Bay township of Wairoa.
The collision happened at about 3pm on State Highway 2 on Tuesday, at the intersection of Black Street and Archilles Street.
A person in the car, which RNZ sources have confirmed was a baby, died and two others in it were left fighting for their lives.
Wairoa Mayor Craig Little said he had heard that a baby had died in the “horrendous crash” and that the close-knit community was completely devastated.
“It has just causes absolute devastation, and Wairoa is a small town, everyone knows everybody.
“The whole town is in shock to be quite honest, we are just here in whatever way or form to look after these families who are really going through a hard time, and that’s even the bus driver as well.
“These families will probably never get over this.”
Little said he had spoken to family, locals and emergency services.
“Everybody is struggling with this one, they are all well known families, good families.”
Little said no one really knows how the crash happened and that it was a very odd accident.
Only minor injuries were reported from the driver and two passengers on the school bus.
The Ministry of Education said it had engaged a traumatic incident team to work with the school that had its students on the bus.
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