Three young people—two men and one woman—were killed instantly on November 9, 2026, when their vehicle slammed into a BurgerFuel restaurant in Takanini on Diwali night.
The occupants of the vehicle, described as three young Indian Punjabis, were pronounced deceased at the scene after the car smashed through a metal gate and into the side of the building on Great South Rd.
While the crash resulted in a triple fatality, police confirmed that no one inside the building was injured. Nikki Soons, BurgerFuel’s head of brand and marketing, stated that the restaurant was closed when the incident occurred, though staff members were present at the time. 1News reported that the restaurant’s franchisee and staff are receiving support following the “tragic incident.”
Witnesses described the vehicle as traveling at extreme speeds shortly before the impact. One witness, who was delivering food, estimated the car was traveling “way over” 100km/h in a 50km/h zone and noted the vehicle appeared to be “flying.”
Another witness observed the car traveling “really fast,” nearly hitting another vehicle in a different lane, and remarked, “I reckon if he didn’t swerve, that car would have hit them straight on.”
Local workers described the area near the Oak Junction shopping centre as a “nightmare” where “street racers” frequently drive fast. One worker noted that a major crash had occurred at the same roundabout within the last year, involving a car losing control and hitting a tree.
Daljit Singh, president of the Central Sikh Association and the Supreme Sikh Society, shared that the victims were from Punjabi Indian families and expressed that the crash was “very sad news for the community.”
Singh stated that, per the wishes of the families, all three bodies will be sent to India. RNZ reported that Singh is in contact with the families, though formal identification of the victims is expected to take some time.
The Serious Crash Unit attended the scene to investigate the circumstances of the collision. Police noted that the vehicle was not stolen and they were not responding to it when the crash occurred.
Although the road was closed while emergency services, including two ambulances and a critical care unit, worked at the scene, it has since reopened. Stuff reported that the crash left the restaurant with extensive damage, leaving glass and debris strewn across the area and tables scattered inside.
