111 service off-line

Photo / Martin Sykes

A technical fault and human error meant a small Waikato settlement was without a 111 service for up to three hours.

Telecom was unaware of the fault until contacted by a journalist. A Kopaki farmer had told the reporter he was unable to alert emergency services through 111 after a fatal collision outside his property on State Highway 30 between Te Kuiti and Benneydale on Tuesday.

It is understood a technician at Te Kuiti's exchange building failed to alert his bosses to the problem.