Tauranga gasfitter Patrick Joseph Dykes was sentenced in the Tauranga District Court on May 10. Photo /file
A Tauranga gasfitter who incorrectly installed a gas fireplace at a house which led to extensive fire damage has been sentenced to four months' community detention.
Patrick Joseph Dykes' company was hired to install the gas fireplace at the Pāpāmoa home in 2017.
However, two months later there was a
fire at the Cassinia Close house which caused extensive damage, WorkSafe New Zealand said.
No one was injured but the house was left uninhabitable.
WorkSafe's investigation found the gas fireplace and flue installed in a timber frame cavity at the house did not comply with the manufacturer's installation instructions. The fireplace did not have any separation from combustible materials, causing the fire.
