A 13-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy are among those injured after the car they were in crashed into a fence and rolled in Rakaia early this morning.

The police spokesperson says police attempted to pull over a suspicious vehicle at about 4.22am in Rolleston.

The vehicle failed to stop and officers pursued it for a short time before abandoning due to the nature of driving.  

The spokesperson says the vehicle was later found by police on Bridge St, around 4:40am where it had collided with a fence and then rolled.  

She says there were eight people in the vehicle, two are critically injured and six had been transported to hospital.

A local worker in Rakaia told Chris Lynch Media an emergency worker setting up detours, said it was a work van stolen from Christchurch.

Police have not confirmed this.

A St John spokesman seven patients are in hospital including a 13-year-old-girl and 14-year-old boy.

He says one patient is in a critical condition, two are in a serious condition and four have moderate to minor injuries.

Enquiries are ongoing to determine the circumstances around the collision.

The Serious Crash Unit is examining the scene.

Bridge Street is currently closed and may remain closed for some time.