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Watch: 5 hurt, 1 critical after car hits kids

Author
NZ Herald Staff,
Publish Date
Wed, 20 Sep 2017, 9:24AM
​

Watch: 5 hurt, 1 critical after car hits kids

Author
NZ Herald Staff,
Publish Date
Wed, 20 Sep 2017, 9:24AM

Five people were hurt after a driver lost control and a car ploughed into a group of school children at a bus stop near Westlake Girls' High School on Auckland's North Shore.

The high school says three of its students and one from nearby Westlake Boys' High School were injured in the crash.

Acting Inspector Jason Homan says a female in a critical condition, and a person in a serious condition have been taken to Auckland City Hospital.

Another student was being treated for minor injuries. A fifth person has not been identified.

Their parents have been notified.

Local businessowner Lance Shepherd says it looks like a Skyline car has mounted the footpath about 50m before the bus stop and crashed through six steel panels of a barrier fence. He says an injured girl was left lying with her head in the gutter. He could see a shoe on the ground, a school bag and text books in the bus shelter.

Orange markers on the road suggest a car has come from Wairau Rd and lost control before smashing through a fence. The markers run from the road onto the footpath near the bus stop. The front of the vehicle is crunched up and the windscreen is smashed. 
Witnesses say a person thought to be the driver was seen in tears in the back of a police car.

The crashed car remains about 3m from the bus stop.

Shepherd says it's a wonder more students weren't hurt as hundreds of kids are in the area at that time of the morning.

Other witnesses reported pedestrians were lying injured on the ground.

A witness has posted on Facebook that a metal fence at the college has been smashed through. Other witnesses said a bus stop outside the school has been destroyed.

One of the first people on the scene described hearing victims wailing as they lay injured on the ground.

The woman said the blue car had crashed into a fence next to the bus stop.

"I was driving past at the time and it must have just happened as no paramedics or police were on the scene yet. It did take them a while because of peak traffic. I lowered my window to listen for ambulance siren but instead I heard wailing from the victims."

Police are photographing and measuring the crash site. (Photo / Doug Sherring)

One lane of Wairau Rd has reopened although police remain at the scene.

Decile 9 Westlake Girls is the country's biggest girls' high school and has 2258 students.

Principal Jane Stanley is at the crash and has not yet returned Herald calls.

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