A person has died following a serious crash early yesterday afternoon that resulted in a section of High St SH2 in Masterton being closed for four hours while the scene was examined.
The single-vehicle crash occurred on the corner of High St and South Belt.
It is understood the vehicle hit the wall of the Ordish and Stevens building at 219 High St and ended up on its roof in the business’s car park.
A staff member told the Times-Age that they hadn’t seen or heard the crash, but “I felt it on the floor”.
An initial police statement said that officers were “called to the scene of a single-vehicle crash between Judds Rd and Ngaumutawa Rd at 12:41pm”.
“The initial indications were that there were serious injuries,” the statement said.
“The serious crash unit was advised. Motorists were advised to avoid the area and expect delays.”
Police confirmed just after 5pm that one person had died as a result of the crash.
It’s understood there were no other occupants in the vehicle.
A crew from Masterton Fire Station was dispatched to assist at the incident, as were members of Wellington Free Ambulance, but both organisations referred the Times-Age to police for comment.
Although there has been no official statement about the circumstances surrounding the crash, a first responder at the scene told the Times-Age that it appeared a vehicle was travelling southbound down South Belt at high speed before losing control at the bend, ploughing through a bush, and crashing into the side of the Ordish and Stevens building.
Police quickly closed the High St SH2 between Ngaumutawa Rd and Judds Rd, with diversions in place.
The road was fully reopened at 5.15pm after the serious crash unit had finished its investigation of the scene.
