Warning: The following story may be distressing for some readers

A woman held a dying baby in her arms for 15 minutes, stroking the tiny infant’s cheeks for the last moments of her life while she waited for help to arrive after a horror crash in Papakura last night.

Jazmin Jamieson was standing outside her home on Ingram St when they saw a rush of people running towards a mess of mangled metal in the middle of the road.

The crash, involving a car and truck, occurred at the intersection of Ingram St and Porchester Rd in Papakura at about 10.40pm on Wednesday, a police spokesperson said.

 “When I walked up, a little boy was walking across the road, he was yelling for his sister,” Jamieson told the Herald.

However, Jamieson didn’t find the boy’s sister immediately, instead, she found that boy’s brother. She estimated the first boy to be about 8, and the second about 10 years old.

Jamieson said they didn’t look seriously injured apart from a few cuts and bruises, so she got them to sit on the side of the road and “look after each other” while she went back to the wreckage to help others.

Emergency services were called at 10.42pm after a truck and a car crash in Papakura last night. Photo / Hayden Woodward

She saw one woman “squashed in the back of the car”. Another witness told the Herald earlier today this was the mother, who was pleading with rescuers to save her children.

• 'Leave me, grab my kids': Mother's plea in horrific fatal Auckland car crash

Another woman, who Jamieson presumed to be an aunty, was lying on the ground among the wrecked vehicles, screaming about an injury to her arm while a man stood over her, not able to speak due to shock.

That’s when Jamieson saw another woman, a witness not involved in the crash, holding the limp infant.

“She said one of the young boys had given her the baby,” Jamieson said.

“I asked her to give it to me because she was freaking out, she didn’t know what to do.”

She estimated the baby girl to be only 3 months old.

“She was completely limp, she was lifeless and you could see her struggling to breathe,” Jamieson said.

“I tried to rub her cheeks and speak to her, but there was no reaction.”

Jamieson stood with the baby, stroking her cheeks and speaking to her softly for 15 minutes among the crash debris while she waited for emergency services to arrive.

“I handed her off to a first responder ... and I knew she was gone.”

The baby girl was put into the firetruck cab to shield the family from seeing her.

Emergency services rushed to the scene of a serious crash in Papakura where three people were critically injured and five seriously injured. Photo / Hayden Woodward

A police spokesperson confirmed that one person died as a result of the incident and six others suffered injuries.

“Four of those were assessed as having serious to moderate injuries, with two others sustaining minor injuries.

“Those injured were transported to both Middlemore and Auckland City Hospitals.”

A Hato Hone St John Ambulance spokesperson said they received a call at 10.40pm yesterday about an incident on Ingram St and Porchester Rd, Papakura.

“We responded with four ambulances, two rapid response vehicles, and one operations manager.”

Seven patients were taken to the hospital, the spokesperson said.

“Three patients – one in serious condition, one in moderate condition, and one in minor condition – were taken to Starship hospital via one ambulance.

“One patient in serious condition was taken to Starship hospital via a second ambulance.”

The scene of the fatal crash this morning, with markings on Porchester Rd in Papakura. Photo / Akula Sharma

Three patients were taken to Middlemore Hospital in two ambulances, the spokesperson said.

“One patient in critical condition was taken to Middlemore Hospital via a third ambulance. And two patients in moderate condition were taken to Middlemore Hospital via a fourth ambulance.

“One other patient in minor condition was assessed and treated at the scene.”

Top Geez Earth Workz Ltd director Tama Herkt said one of his light trucks was involved in an accident.

“All I know is one of my workers getting interviewed. I have not heard from police and authorities yet.”

The road was closed for a period while the Serious Crash Unit completed an examination of the scene, but has since reopened.

Last night, police advised motorists to avoid the area while their work was completed at the crash scene.

“An investigation will commence into the circumstances of the crash.”

A Fire and Emergency spokesperson said two crews attended the incident where one person was trapped in a vehicle.

“Rescue teams are extricating with equipment.”