One person has died and four others were injured last night in a three-car pile-up south of Auckland. 

It happened just a few hours before a serious two-vehicle crash forced the closure of the Waikato Expressway overnight. 

In Auckland, a police spokesperson confirmed one person died after a crash on Karaka Rd at 5.20pm. 

A St John spokesperson sent 11 vehicles and treated six people at the scene – three were seriously injured, two moderately and one only suffered minor injuries. 

The police spokesperson said inquiries into the crash are ongoing and three people remain in hospital. 

In the Waikato, a police spokesperson said they were called to the two-car crash in Meremere just before 10pm. 

One person was seriously injured while another was moderately injured. Both were transported to hospital. 

SH1 was closed for a period but has now reopened.