Fire crews from three Wairarapa fire stations, along with police and Wellington Free Ambulance [WFA], responded to a “serious incident” at a residential address on Dublin St in Martinborough on Saturday night.
Emergency services confirmed that the incident involved a car that was travelling down a long driveway at about 30kph when it crashed into a tree and caught fire.
“Investigations are ongoing as to how it happened, but the driver received serious injuries, which included serious burns, and they were taken to Wellington Hospital,” Wairarapa Police senior sergeant Gareth Barnes said.
“We responded at 8.15pm after fire crews arrived. The fire was well involved, and there was only one occupant inside.”
Barnes said that the serious crash unit is investigating.
“We also had a police photographer there.”
Three fire stations responded to the event, working to put out the fire and attend to the occupant.
Crews from Martinborough station arrived first with their first response ute and an appliance, which was backed up by a pump rescue tanker from Greytown station that provided additional water, while a water tanker from Carterton station was on standby.
A Greytown station officer said they arrived after the Martinborough crews.
“We get attached straight away to Martinborough with events like this, and on this occasion, we supplied more water when they ran out.
“Martinborough were fighting the fire and giving first aid as well.
“From what I could see, the occupant received quite a lot of trauma to his head.”
The station officer said the fire was big and the car was a write-off, but there was no risk to other nearby properties or people.
He also said the fire was put out by the time police and WFA arrived.
Carterton Fire Station chief Bryan Styles confirmed they attended with one tanker, but “it was not used”.
WFA confirmed that the car’s occupant was taken to Wellington Hospital in a serious condition.
