UPDATED 9.57PM Five people have died in a crash between car and truck on State Highway 2 near Katikati tonight.

Northern Fire Communications shift manager Paul Radden said emergency services were called at 8.10pm. They were told there had been a collision between a logging truck and a car and that there were multiple deaths.

Police later confirmed five people had died.

It is understood all of the victims were travelling in the car which had just pulled out of the Aongatete Coolstores on the corner of Dawson Rd. One bystander said he believed at least one of the victims worked at the company.

A coolstores employee told the Herald a shift had just finished at 8pm but she wasn’t sure if any of her colleagues were involved.

Managing Director Allan Dawson said he could not comment.

Radden said four crews from Katikati and Tauranga are at the scene. The fire response also included a specialist incident team with heavy lifting equipment. The Serious Crash Unit and Commercial Vehicle Investigation Unit are also at the scene and have begun an investigation into exactly what happened.

State Highway 2 is closed in both directions between Morton Road and Thompson's Track and motorists are being advised to travel via the Kaimai Summit or Rotorua.

A reporter at the scene said fire officers were telling motorists that it would be several hours before the highway reopened. Lots of vehicles were parked up on the side of the road, unable to get through.

It is understood the truck driver was badly shaken but uninjured.