A three-car pile-up caused chaos on the Remutaka Hill Rd, closing the hill for over an hour on Friday.
Emergency services responded to the crash at about 11.30am. There were no reported injuries.
The crash happened on a tight corner on the Wairarapa side of the summit, about 2km from Featherston.
Witnesses said it appeared a car travelling from Featherston to Wellington had crossed the centre line. It had collided with a vehicle travelling in the opposite direction, which was immediately rear-ended by a second car going down the hill.
Police media issued a statement at 11.47am advising motorists to expect delays on the Remutaka section of State Highway 2.
Tow trucks and emergency services, including the Featherston fire brigade, Wellington Free Ambulance, and four police cars, faced difficulty getting to the scene on the narrow road. Chief fire officer Colin Mckenna said the logistics were “a bit of a nightmare”, and fire officers requested motorists back-up to allow three tow trucks through.
“People were cooperative. I didn’t hear a cross word from anyone,” he said.
He said the cars travelling to Wairarapa contained several children, and at one point, there were five sitting in the fire engine.
A police spokesperson confirmed police organised rides home for those affected, and at 12.40pm.
