On Sunday evening a car traveling at more than 150 km/h straightened off Great South Road in the suburb of Takanini, south Auckland, and struck a BurgerFuel restaurant, killing all three people inside the vehicle.
According to a police statement released Monday, the crash happened at about 10:15 p.m. local time. The vehicle tore through the building’s front and entered the restaurant, but no customers or staff inside were hurt. All three occupants of the car were pronounced dead at the scene. Police said an investigation into the circumstances of the crash is under way.
Newswire reported that the car “left Great South Road in Takanini and smashed into a BurgerFuel restaurant late on Sunday night.” The account confirms the route and the type of restaurant struck, matching the police statement.
The New Zealand news outlet 1News confirmed the triple fatality on Monday afternoon. "Police on Monday afternoon confirmed the triple fatality," noted the report, echoing the official statement.
Local authorities are now working to determine how the vehicle lost control and why it exceeded the speed limit on the busy Great South Road. The incident has prompted calls for stricter enforcement of speed limits in the area.