Father killed in Bay of Plenty crash has third child on the way

Chary Sabalande, 34, was killed when the car he was travelling in hit a train on Pongakawa School Rd.
Chary Sabalande, 34, was killed when the car he was travelling in hit a train on Pongakawa School Rd. Photo credit: Supplied

An expectant father was one of the people killed when a car and train collided on Wednesday in the Bay of Plenty.

Chary Alonzo Sabalande, 34, was killed when the car he was travelling in hit a train on Pongakawa School Rd.

His sister Jundylou Apas told Newshub he had only recently arrived in the country from the Philippines.

She said his wife is currently five months pregnant and he has two other children.

Apas said her brother had promised to help support his parents before he left the Philippines.

"He is such a good person [and] he had a lot of dreams for his family."

"It's very difficult to accept what happened to him. I think it happened for a reason... only God knows everything," she said.

Apas said the family doesn't have any other relatives in New Zealand.

The Fire Service said two people were killed and a further three people were trapped in the vehicle.

St John said three people were transported to the hospital. Two are in a serious condition and one is in critical condition.

Newshub.