Government and company investigations have been launched into a Dannevirke meat-works accident on Sunday afternoon that left a man fighting for his life.
The 50-year-old received serious head injuries and remained in a critical condition after a stock loading race he was operating, at Alliance Meat Works in Dannevirke, fell on him. The man is then believed to have fallen as many as five metres and landed head-first on steel. He was airlifted to Palmerston North Hospital by the Palmerston North Rescue Helicopter.
The Alliance Group's general manager (processing), Kerry Stevens, said WorkSafe had been notified and the company would co-operate fully with its investigation.
"Our immediate priority is on supporting the employee's family and staff at the plant."
The company has also launched its own internal investigation and indicated that it was too early to speculate on the cause of the accident. A WorkSafe New Zealand spokesman also said local staff were making preliminary inquiries into the accident.
Meanwhile, police have released the name of the man who was killed when his motorcycle crashed near Wairoa on Saturday.
Barry Pascoe, 64, was a Napier local. Mr Pascoe died after his motorbike failed to take a bend and crashed through a fence on SH2 at Putorino on Saturday morning.
The crash is being investigated by the police serious crash unit and the cause of the accident remains unknown.