Last updated 11:43, May 24 2018
DAN BROWNE/STUFF
Heavy traffic had built up in the area around the Links Rd and Evenden Rd intersections due to the crash.
Heavy traffic had built up in the area around the Links Rd and Evenden Rd intersections due to the crash.
A man has died in a crash between a car and a truck on the Hawke's Bay Expressway near Hastings.
Emergency services were called after the logging truck and car collided between the Links Rd and Evenden Rd intersections at 7.53am on Thursday.
Police said the man travelling in the car died.
A logging truck collided with a car on the Hawke's Bay Expressway on Thursday.
A Hawke's Bay police spokesman said it was "complete gridlock" on the scene about 9.40am.
He said "quite a lot" of police vehicles were deployed to divert traffic and help at the scene.
The driver of the car died at the scene.
"The car has strayed in front of the truck, from what I understand," he said.
Assistant area commander Nigel Hall said two off-duty firefighters came across the crash at 7.58am.
One was en route to work a morning shift and the other was finishing a night shift, he said.
"It was a particularly hard event for our firefighters to deal with."
Two fire trucks were immediately sent to the scene from Napier and one from Hastings, which were at the site within minutes.
One witness at the scene about 9.15am said he was turned around by traffic controllers when walking towards Evenden Rd from Links Rd.
St John ambulance attended the incident.
Police have asked motorists to avoid the area as lengthy delays were expected.
The Serious Crash Unit was on the scene investigating.
Police were expected to be at the scene for a number of hours.