Shredded items of clothing where injured workers were treated on the Halsey St footpath. Photo / Michael Craig
Shredded items of clothing where injured workers were treated on the Halsey St footpath. Photo / Michael Craig
The construction site explosion that left five workers badly injured was caused by a leak from a barbecue stored in a container.
Hawkins spokeswoman Helene Toury said that prior to site operations commencing at the Hawkins construction site in Wynyard Quarter, one team of Hawkins' subcontractors were in close proximity to a gas fire.
Five people were badly burned, one critically, and all were rushed to hospital.
Four of the workers remain in hospital receiving treatment for burns, while the other one has been discharged. None of the workers remain in intensive care.
Five injured in the blast were taken to Auckland hospitals for treatment. Photo / Michael Craig
The incident triggered a large-scale response from emergency services who raced to the Halsey St site about 6.30am.
It was reported earlier that the explosion was caused by a gas cooker left on overnight - and had knocked some people out of their shoes and shredded clothing remained at the scene.
Toury confirmed that the "early indication from FENZ was that the fire resulted from a gas leak from a barbecue stored inside the subcontractor's container".
"As previously stated, we will not be able to comment on Friday's events until the investigation is completed."
The Halsey St construction site at the scene of the early morning blast. Photo / Michael Craig
NZ Council of Trade Unions president Richard Wagstaff encouraged the investigation and said "clearly on this occasion the health and safety system operating at this workplace has not kept workers safe and needs to be put right as quickly as possible".
Wagstaff admitted to Newstalk ZB yesterday that the construction sector has a terrible record of workers getting killed or injured on the job.
"The explosion last week at the waterfront really again reminded us that we have to step up because too many people are dying, too many people are getting hurt."
Wagstaff thinks this reveals a "slack attitude" towards health and safety compared with other countries.
New statistics released yesterday showed that two workers died every month since January 2021 on construction sites, and 4800 have sustained injuries that required more than a week off work.
WorkSafe chief executive Phil Parkes said workers, family, whānau and communities pay the cost of poor health and safety practices in construction every day through illness, injury and death, and this must change immediately.
"Our message is clear, we need workers' help to hold poor health and safety practices to account, including by speaking up if you feel safe to do so."
