Residents who live on a street where a crash claimed the life of a woman in Christchurch say they saw a vehicle speeding moments before it crashed.

However, police say they can't confirm if speed was a factor in the crash on Worcester St, Linwood, at 6.30pm yesterday.

READ MORE: One person killed, three injured after Christchurch crash

Three other people were taken to the hospital. One suffered critical injuries, another serious and a third moderate.

The Herald understood the woman's car had children inside who were also injured but police were unable to confirm today if any were in the car.

A local resident told the Herald that her mother and flatmate helped out at the crash and believed one of the vehicles was speeding before it failed to stop at an intersection.

"[Mum] said that they seen the blue car drive down Worcester, and the Subaru that was driving up Tranced failed to stop. He was also speeding and end up hitting the blue car which made the blue car smash into the cafe gate.

"By that time my mum ran to help but the lady was already gone. Her three kids in the back are really hurt, and my mother's flatmate helped the driver out of the Subaru, but I think he was hurt too."

After the cars collided one ended up coming to rest in the fence of Under The Red Verandah cafe.

The woman said her mother was still in shock and saddened by what she had seen.

"My heart hurts for them all."

Another woman who lives near the scene posted on social media that she saw a car speed past her house before hearing it crash.

"It was going well over 80ks id say, flew past my house then a second later was an awful sounding accident. I live on worcester street about 100meters from where it happened [sic]," she wrote.

St John was also unable to confirm the ages of those injured in the crash.

Police were still contacting the woman's next of kin.

The police serious crash unit is investigating the cause.