The NZDF said it is "preferable for police to inform E Squadron (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) about all calls regarding explosives in the first instance". Photo / NZME
A Southland man who tried to find a safe way to dispose of ageing explosives died when he tried to detonate them himself in a remote area, a coroner has found.
In findings released today, Coroner Alexandra Cunninghame said Donald Gene Woodford had made inquiries about how to manage the old Powergel but received no clear solution.
“Had he taken advice from the NZDF [New Zealand Defence Force] ... the tragic consequence could have been avoided,” she wrote.
Woodford, 79, was killed on February 1, 2024, while attempting to destroy old explosives on his Mossburn property.
A fencing contractor for 50 years, Woodford had used Powergel explosives throughout his working life to blow up rocks in the ground to make fence post holes.
Powergel is a high-strength, robust detonator-sensitive emulsion explosive with similarities to gelignite.
Coroner Cunninghame said that at some stage, Woodford upgraded his equipment and no longer needed explosives.
He stored the Powergel in a shed for many years.
“In 2023, he tried to return the Powergel to the store where it was purchased, but staff would not accept it,” the coroner said.
“Mr Woodford then approached police, who also refused to take the Powergel and recommended that Mr Woodford return it to the manufacturer.”
Woodford’s wife, Adele Woodford, said at that stage he was “at a loss as to what to do with the explosives, and so they remained in the shed”.
In the lead-up to his death, Woodford and his wife discussed plans to move the shed and use it to store firewood.
“Mrs Woodford reminded her husband that the Powergel would need to be disposed of before the shed could be moved,” Coroner Cunninghame said.
“They discussed a plan to move the explosives on the evening of 30 January 2024.
“As a child, Mr Woodford had helped his father build a hut at Waterloo Station. The family had been going there ever since.
“Although they did not discuss it explicitly, Mrs Woodford understood that was where Mr Woodford planned to deal with the explosives from the shed.”
On January 31, Woodford packed food and supplies and set off for the hut, telling his wife he would be back after 1pm the next day.
But he did not return as planned.
Adele Woodford contacted her husband’s brother Mark Woodford, who he’d worked with for many years.
“He immediately travelled to the hut to look for Mr Woodford, where he came across Mr Woodford’s ute with its door open,” Coroner Cunninghame said.
“Mr Woodford was lying dead nearby, about a metre and a half away from a large hole in the ground.
“Police officers attended and found several small, half-exploded detonators near Mr Woodford’s body.”
A post‑mortem examination confirmed Woodford died from catastrophic blast injuries to his chest, head and neck.
The pattern of injuries suggested he had been holding the explosive in his left hand while crouching or sitting.
After the tragedy, the Defence Force bomb squad ensured the remaining explosives were safely detonated.
Woodford’s death was referred to Coroner Cunninghame so she could formally determine the circumstances, including how he came into possession of Powergel and his contact with the police regarding the disposal of explosives.
“Mr Woodford had made inquiries about how to safely dispose of the Powergel.
“Neither line of inquiry was helpful, so Mr Woodford decided to destroy it by detonating it in a remote area. Unfortunately, this resulted in his death,” she said in her findings, released publicly today.
“Contacting the NZDF when explosives are found and need to be safely detonated is the preferred approach. However, this was not the guidance given to Mr Woodford when he made inquiries about disposing of the Powergel.
“Had he taken advice from the NZDF, Mr Woodford would not have tried to detonate the Powergel himself and the tragic consequence could have been avoided.”
Coroner Cunninghame said the bomb squad advised that “commercial explosives are inherently dangerous even in trained hands”.
“Explosives, commercial or otherwise, deteriorate over time and become less stable and a lot more volatile, becoming more sensitive to heat, shock and friction as they age,” the experts said.
“Detonators especially pose a high risk as they are highly sensitive when produced.”
During her inquiry into Woodford’s death, Coroner Cunninghame advised police she proposed to recommend that a reminder be issued to all staff that when a member of the public has unused explosives and seeks advice on how to dispose of them, “the NZDF Bomb Squad is contacted so that arrangements can be made for safe disposal”.
Police said work was already underway to improve how such situations were handled, including guidance “accessible to all staff via an application on police-issued devices” that sets out the required actions when members of the public report possessing disused explosives.
“In addition, the standard operating procedures used by police communications staff for managing such reports have been reviewed to ensure they remain current and fit for purpose,” police replied to the coroner.
Coroner Cunninghame also approached the NZDF for input.
It said it was “preferable for police to inform E Squadron (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) about all calls regarding explosives in the first instance”.
“E Squadron can then triage the request and schedule a disposal as their operational tempo allows.”
Coroner Cunninghame commended the “proactive approach” taken by police.
Her formal recommendation was that “a reminder is issued to all New Zealand Police staff that when a member of the public has unused explosives and seeks advice on how to dispose of them, the NZDF E Squadron is contacted so that arrangements can be made for safe disposal”.
Woodford’s family told the coroner they hoped that by telling his story, others would avoid facing the same dangerous situation.
Anna Leask is a senior journalist who covers national crime and justice. She joined the Herald in 2008 and has worked as a journalist for 20 years with a particular focus on family and gender-based violence, child abuse, sexual violence, homicides, mental health and youth crime. She writes, hosts and produces the award-winning podcast A Moment In Crime, released monthly on nzherald.co.nz