Three dead as car crashes through Auckland Burgerfuel restaurant while people inside

Three people are dead after a car came off a road and tore through an Auckland BurgerFuel restaurant

A local says the Takanini street where a car came off the road and tore through is a hotspot for street racers.

The car reportedly lost control at a roundabout on Great South Road, colliding with the restaurant.

Emergency services were called to the crash just after 10:15pm on Sunday night. Fire and Emergency said there were people in the building, and a few people in the car, and reports of one person trapped.

Sadly, all three occupants were pronounced deceased at the scene, police say. No one inside the building was injured.

BurgerFuel confirmed the restaurant had closed and none of the team members working during that time were injured but it could not comment any further.

Formal identification processes are underway and are expected to take some time.

"Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with the families, and everyone affected by last night's tragic incident that involved BurgerFuel Takanini," BurgerFuel's head of brand and marketing Nikki Soons said.

Nick, a local delivery driver, said the stretch of Great South Road sees a lot of street racing.

"They always have races down here all the time, down the straight, it was just a matter of time before someone was going to go through that," he said.

He said the car must've been doing about 180 to 200 kilometres per hour in a 50km per hour zone to do that much damage.

Tire marks on the side of the road show the car's path, which ran over a grassy verge, smashed through a fence and into the building's window.

"This business here is going to be shut down for quite a long time... it will be devastating for them, " he said.

Nick told RNZ there needed to be more precautions.

"They need to put a big barrier up, it may slow people down... it's up to the council to do something and if they don't get on top of the root cause of what is happening", he said.

Manurewa-Papakura Ward Councillor Matt Winiata said reports that the driver crashed after going through the roundabout made sense, based on the reckless driving he had previously witnessed in the area.

He said he saw people speeding on Great South Road almost daily.

"I wouldn't be surprised if they went through that roundabout and lost control because of the speed on that corner.

"I do see a lot of drivers taking risks. They overestimate their abilities on the roads, and things like this happen."

He said particularly those in high-powered vehicles driving irresponsibly needed to stop.

"If you care about your friends and family, don't be in a hurry to go anywhere and don't be stupid. Save it for the racetrack."

He said he hoped there had not been any fatalities.

"My heart goes out to the families and the business that has been affected and people who are now potentially without work for a significant amount of time in a cost-of-living crisis."

An RNZ reporter at the scene said the restaurant's interior has been scattered, tables and chairs thrown across the room.

Police confirmed they attended the crash in Takanini on Sunday night.

They said the road was closed while emergency services worked at the scene but had since reopened.

Investigations around the circumstances of the crash are ongoing.

BurgerFuel said it was working with the franchisee and staff to provide support.