Five dead in crash north of Taupō

Five people have been confirmed dead after a car crashed into a tree near Taupō, and police say they were all members of the same family. 

The single-vehicle accident happened on Tirohanga Rd, near Okama Rd, on Monday just before 7:40am.

A spokesperson for Fire and Emergency said there is only one survivor, who was initially trapped in the car. 

Police told media the five victims all belonged to the same family. Three victims were female and two male, while the sole survivor is an 11-year-old.

Tirohanga Rd.
Tirohanga Rd. Photo credit: Google Maps

The 11-year-old has been transported by helicopter to Waikato Hospital in Hamilton, and is now in a stable condition after earlier being critical.

Police say the road will be closed "for some hours" and motorists are asked to stay away.

Taupō District Mayor David Trewavas said it was "very, very sad" news.

"The weather is not too bad, so I'm not too sure how it's occurred or what's happened there."

He said the road is long and mostly straight, and over gentle terrain - but it can get busy as an alternative route into the town.

Earlier Monday morning police said "multiple" people had been killed. They confirmed five had lost their lives at 10:20am. 

The quintuple-fatality was the first of two deadly crashes on New Zealand roads on Monday morning. Three people were killed at an Ashburton intersection just after 10am, while a fourth was critically injured.