A car was seen “flying” down the road at extreme speeds before crashing into a truck pulling into a Hamilton supermarket and bursting into flames, killing two people.

Ben Harper was on his way home when he came across the scene of the crash on Ulster St just moments after it happened.

”The car was flying down the road well above the speed limit and crashed into the side of the truck, almost directly into the diesel tank, causing it to catch fire,” said Harper.

”When I got there the car was on fire and quite a few people around the car [were] trying to extinguish the flames and save whoever was alive.”

He said one person was trapped in the car.

Harper told the Herald that he didn’t think the car was being pursued by police prior to the crash, and that he had overheard officials saying the crash was picked up on city cameras and reported to police.

Witnesses told the Herald that police were on the scene within seconds.

As flames burst from the car and licked the side of the truck, officers were frantically pulling people from the wreckage of the vehicle.

Two people have died after a crash in Hamilton early Sunday morning. Photo / Hayden Woodward

Two people died at the scene and St John transported six people to Waikato hospital - two were in critical conditions, two were in moderate conditions and two were in minor conditions.

“The car caught fire following the crash, and three officers are being treated for smoke inhalation after pulling two occupants from the vehicle while it was still on fire,” a police spokesperson said.

Emergency services responded to the crash around 3.45am.

The road has been closed while the Serious Crash Unit examines the scene and Police are asking people to avoid the area if possible.

Police confirmed a unit was already on patrol in the vicinity of the crash at the time it occurred, and was able to respond instantly.

Police also confirmed they were not following or pursuing this vehicle leading up to the crash.

A witness told the Herald that the car, a silver Subaru, crashed into a delivery truck that was turning into Pak’nSave Mill St.

They said detectives, FENZ investigators and an undertaker are at the scene. They also said a drone is being operated above the site of the crash by emergency staff.

The nearby BP service station has been taped off and is closed.

Caitlan Johnston is a breaking news reporter based in Waikato. She joined the Herald in 2022.