College board fined over boiler room blast

Richard Nel, who died in a boiler room explosion at Orewa College last year, pictured with wife Kathy. Photo / Supplied

The board of trustees of Orewa College, north of Auckland, has been ordered to pay almost $137,000 in reparations and costs over a fatal boiler room explosion at the school last year.

Caretaker Richard Nel died after receiving burns to 90 per cent of his body and a contractor Robin Tubman was seriously injured in the blast on June 24.

In the North Shore District Court today, Judge Laurie Hinton ordered the secondary school's board to pay the family of Mr Nel $75,000 in reparations and costs of $6100, while Mr Tubman was awarded $55,000 in reparations and $729 in costs.

The board initially indicated it would defend charges laid by the Department of Labour of failing to take all practicable steps to ensure the safety of an employee and failing to take all practicable steps to ensure that no hazard harmed an employee or a contractor, but subsequently pleaded guilty.

- NZPA