A person has died and another is seriously injured following a two-vehicle crash in Seddon, south of Blenheim, on Wednesday night.
Police said emergency services were called to the collision between Redwood Pass Rd and Awatere Valley Rd about 8:15pm.
"The drivers were the sole occupants of the vehicles and, sadly, one died at the scene," police said.
State Highway 1 south of Blenheim was closed for about six and a half hours.
However, the crash scene has now been cleared and the road reopened at Weld Pass shortly before 3:30am on Thursday, the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) said.
"NZTA/Waka Kotahi wants to thank drivers for their patience and cooperation while emergency services and contractors attended this incident," a statement said.
The Serious Crash Unit is investigating the cause of the collision and police are providing the families with support.
State Highway 6 closure
Meanwhile, in a separate incident, police were called to reports a truck hauling hazardous chemicals went off the road and collided with a barrier, between Central Rd and Hori Bay Rd, about 4:40am.
"Due to the position of the truck, which is hanging over the edge of the road, both lanes have been closed while a heavy tow is arranged," police said.
State Highway 6 Whangamoa Saddle was closed but has since reopened.
A 30 km/h temporary speed limit is in place at the crash site where safety barriers have been damaged.
An earlier statement said a truck was understood to have collided with a barrier on the Whangamoa Hill.
"Drivers must follow this speed limit and take extra care when travelling through the area," NZTA said.
"NZTA/Waka Kotahi wants to thank drivers for their patience and cooperation while emergency services and contractors worked hard to reopen the highway."
There were no reported injuries and no damage to the vehicle's load.
