Talk of inquiry pains mum

Napier born chef Ross Burden died in July. Photo / File

The mother of Napier-born celebrity chef and television personality Ross Burden does not want to pursue any inquiry into his death, which an initial report indicates may have been the result of contracting Legionnaires' disease while in Auckland Hospital for cancer treatment.

His birth mother, Jude Harwood, said she wanted answers into his treatment and had written to hospital bosses to lay a complaint.

But his mother, Anne Burden of Hastings who raised Mr Burden, tearfully said "we don't need this".

She said she suspected something would happen in the wake of her son's death but how things had transpired over the past few days had been hard to take.

She had not wanted any family involvement into whatever investigations would be carried out and was devastated "my much-loved son can't be allowed to rest in peace".

Mrs Burden said she had been in contact with hospital authorities and was aware Legionella had been detected in water at the hospital.

Staff had used water from the hospital's taps to fill a nebuliser to assist Mr Burden's breathing after he had come down with pneumonia - something Ms Harwood said was unacceptable as the water should have been sterilised. "It will all run its course - it will pass," Mrs Burden said, adding that she had been assured by the hospital that procedures were changed.

"I have my wonderful memories and I know he is safe now."

She was still feeling the loss greatly and simply wanted things left "to pass".

She was proud of what her son had achieved in his 45 years.

"He was a wonderful free spirit and the world was his oyster - he made so much of the life he had and he had so many friends."

Mr Burden had been in Auckland Hospital undergoing treatment for leukaemia and had undergone a bone marrow transplant, in the wake of which he contracted pneumonia.

It was then he was placed on the nebuliser which was fed by water from the tap.

Ms Harwood questioned why no one at the hospital had checked the water system, which she believed had sparked the infection.

Mr Burden's death was initially reported as the result of an undisclosed infection, but an interim report from the coroner last week revealed he had died on July 17, of Legionella pneumonia, with an antecedent cause listed as HIV infection.

The hospital board confirmed medical procedures were being reviewed but, while the case was still before the coroner, would make no comment.