Orewa College admits charges over fatal boiler-room blast

The Orewa College board of trustees yesterday pleaded guilty to charges laid against the school for a fatal boiler-room explosion last June - but some in the community believe it shouldn't cop the blame for what was just a "horrible" accident.

College caretaker Richard Nel died after the explosion that left him with 90 per cent burns to his body. Another contractor was seriously injured.

A parent said the explosion was "a horrible, horrible accident" and she didn't believe the board should shoulder the blame.

"The trustees wouldn't have a clue what state the boiler was in, and this is just a sad, sad episode for everyone connected to the school, including the board," said the parent, who did not want to be named.

She said the guilty plea would put a dampener on the board of trustees elections, to take place on May 7.

Christine Collins, head teacher at Hibiscus Coast Kindergarten, where Mr Nel often did voluntary maintenance work, described him as well-respected and generous.

"He did the maintenance work at the kindergarten in his own time, and that fostered good neighbourliness between us and the college," she said.

Orewa resident Anne-Marie Jones said she was shopping in the town centre when she heard the explosion.

"It's something that the folks will be talking about for years to come, no doubt," Ms Jones said.

The explosion ripped through a building after scorching liquid and debris came shooting out from the boiler room roof. The force of the blast shook other classrooms.

Mr Nel and the other contractor were working on the boiler-room roof at the time of the explosion.

Mr Nel's widow, Kathy, and their children moved out of their house, next to the school, a few months after the fatal explosion, neighbours said.

They had moved to New Zealand from Zimbabwe, where Mr Nel had been a farmer and in the Army.

The board faced two charges laid by the Department of Labour, including failing to take all practicable steps to ensure the safety of an employee while at work and to ensure no hazard that is in the place of work harms a person lawfully at work.