The error was not picked up for 15 minutes and the man sustained a fatal brain injury.
Fire officers arrived at the scene just after 9.30pm and activated a third alarm, the highest level, when its scale became apparent.
Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said though it was a complex process, the progress was heartening.
The vehicle is silver and has a "distinctive" white bumper.
Police will be speaking with the victim once he has recovered from his injuries.
She hasn't been sighted since she got into a single-cab ute in Hawke's Bay.
The father of eight has been missing since February 2023.
The stabbing victim has critical injuries.
Joseph Ahuriri was last seen at the Waitomo petrol station in Bay View, just north of Napier.
The crime comes just ahead of ANZAC Day.
Shots were fired at a van taking a group of Raupunga rugby players home after a match.
"We don't have to put up with this rubbish - it's disgusting."
A van with eight members of the visiting team inside was rammed and shot at while being pursued by up to four vehicles.
Police are investigating.
Maritime NZ's Rescue Coordination Centre is coordinating the search, assisted by rescue helicopters from around the North Island.
Police say there are still a number of unanswered questions.
A postmortem of the body was conducted on Thursday morning.
"Tragically, police have located a person deceased in the vehicle."
"The poor little girl down the road didn't have to die."
"Our job now is to pick up these learnings and make sure we build a stronger system for the next cyclone."