Snow strands highway cars

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 13, Issue 595, 18 July 1995, Page 3

Snow strands highway cars

Heavy snowfalls in the central North Island early Saturday morning brought about the stranding of around 90 people on SH1 South of Waiouru and SH49 west of Waiouru. There were no stranding on the Desert Road between Waiouru and Turangi said Waiouru police Senior Constable Mike Martin. "We managed to close that pretty smartly," he said. Vehicles stranded on SH49 were towed out by Army fire trucks while vehicles on SH1 at Peter' s Hill near Irirangi had to be left because they were so backed up, said Mr Martin. "I'm a little disappointed at some of the heavy transport operators that did decide to go south. Those guys are professionals. They travel that road on a regular basis and they should know better," he said. The snow started falling around 11pm on the Friday night. Waiouru police were alerted to the stranding by military police

around 3.30am. From there emergency fire service personnel were alerted and drivers from 4 Transport Squadron were called out. Armoured personnel carriers were placed on stand-by, said Waiouru Firemaster W02 Steve Peretini. He said this was the second time this winter cars had been stranded in the same place. Around 60 people were evacuated by Army Unimogsto Waiouru Military Camp where they were gi ven hot drinks and breakfast. A television was organised and evacuees were put up in the camp cinema. 30 people chose to remain with their vehicles. "We would have liked to have got them all out in case the weather had closed in even more." Mr Martin said his responsibility and concern was for the safety of the stranded people. "While we can't make them come into camp we would have preferred them to," he said. People were taken back to their cars at 1 1am on Sunday.