Fastfood vendor fined over caravan shocks

The owner of a fastfood caravan that gave three people electric shocks at the American Express NZ Cup Village in March has been fined $700 over the incident.

Jeihong Wu, who is at present in China, was convicted in the Auckland District Court yesterday of failing to take all practicable steps to minimise the risk of indirect electrical conduction through a food warmer on the caravan's counter.

Prosecutor Karen Mitchell, representing the Ministry of Economic Development, told Judge Barbara Morris that Tiopira Kopa, aged 8, approached the caravan on March 18 and touched the food warmer.

The boy suffered burns to his hand and forearm when an electrical current shot up his left arm and passed through his body. He was taken to the Starship hospital.

Ms Mitchell said two teenage girls, who were attending a dragon boat contest at the village, also received shocks from the caravan, and a subsequent inspection found the caravan had no earth conductor and was unsafe.

The caravan's warrant of electrical fitness had expired on January 31.