All Blacks fan died from toxic fumes while watching Bledisloe

Todd Crothers was asphyxiated by petrol fumes in his boat in Queensland. Photo / Facebook

An All Blacks fan living in Australia died from toxic fumes after setting up a petrol-powered generator in his boat so he could watch the rugby on television.

Former Wellington man Todd Crothers, 59, was asphyxiated by petrol fumes in his boat in Queensland on August 15, Fairfax Media reported.

The father-of-three had been watching the All Blacks go toe-to-toe with Australia in the Bledisloe Cup decider - which the New Zealanders took out 41-13.

Mr Crother's body was found by Caboolture police the next day on the boat, which was moored in Elimbah Creek, north of Brisbane.

A petrol generator was being used to power a television in an enclosed space in the 13-metre boat, police said. It was still switched on when police found his body.

The coroner had not revealed the cause of death, but Caboolture Police Senior Sergeant Shane Rockley said it appeared Mr Crothers had died from carbon monoxide poisoning.

"He was going to watch the game on TV that night and we are presuming [the match] was still on at the time," Mr Rockley told Fairfax Media.

"The TV was in the 'on' position when he was found."

It is understood Mr Crothers had lived in Australia for several decades after originally moving there from Wellington.

He supported the Hurricanes, Queensland Maroons and the All Blacks and has three adult children.

Toxic fumes from portable generators operating in small, confined places have caused issues in New Zealand in the past.

In 2012, two men from Whitianga died of carbon monoxide poisoning in a mine tunnel after using a petrol-powered generator for a drug laboratory.

Later that year, a petrol generator in a West Auckland home left a family of five needing hospital treatment with one person in a critical condition.

Maritime New Zealand spokesman Steve Rendle told Fairfax Media he was unaware of a similar boating tragedy in New Zealand.