Falling glass kills man

Police and ambulance crews at the scene of last night's fatal accident at a glass company in Wairau Valley. Photo / Steven McNicholl

Large sheets of glass crashed down and killed a man at a North Shore industrial site last night.

Four of his workmates were injured while trying to rescue him.

The man was working inside a shipping container at the Sharpeye glass products company on Porana Rd, in the Wairau Valley industrial zone, at about 6.20pm when the accident occurred.

"It appears some sheets of glass have crashed down on the man, causing fatal cuts," said Inspector Matt Rogers of the police northern communications centre.

"Other people working there went to assist him after it occurred and received intensive cuts while trying to give first aid and get him out."

Mr Rogers said his workmates must have heard a loud crashing noise before clambering over smashed glass inside the container to try to rescue the victim, a 42-year-old married Chinese-born man.

St John Ambulance said its staff took three people to North Shore Hospital, two with more serious injuries and one with minor cuts to the hands.

Of the more seriously hurt workers, one had neck injuries and the other suffered head cuts, a spokesman said.

A Labour Department spokeswoman said she understood the dead man had been unloading the shipping container when the glass collapsed on him.

A workplace accident inspector was on the scene beginning an investigation.

The container, in a yard outside the company's offices and warehouse, was being shielded by a large blue tarpaulin last night while police prepared to move the dead man's body.

Three people believed to be members of his family arrived at the site. The three - a woman and two young men - took a brief look at the accident scene before retreating, weeping.

A police vehicle later removed the body for a coronial inquiry.

Sharpeye officials could not be reached for comment, but the company's website says it has been operating in New Zealand since 1999 and imports glass from its factories in China for homes, high-rise apartments and hotels.

Last night's accident is the second fatality involving the handling of glass in New Zealand in recent months.

In November, Richard Neil Strom, 56, died after he was crushed by a two-tonne crate of glass at his wholesale supply business in Greytown in Wairarapa.

A colleague and two men from a neighbouring business freed Mr Strom, but his injuries proved fatal.

The Glass Association said last night that Sharpeye was not one of its members.

It described the Wairarapa fatality in its newsletter as "a painful lesson to the industry".

"Glass is a specialist industry where things can go wrong," it said.

Operators required training and in some cases specialist handling qualifications were required.

An industry source who did not want to be named said: "Glass is so heavy there is no difference between it and granite."