The injured Cecilia Wang is helped by staff. Photo / Brett Phibbs
The injured Cecilia Wang is helped by staff. Photo / Brett Phibbs
The company behind an All Blacks pre-match fireworks display that exploded into the crowd injuring three fans has pleaded guilty to seven charges related to the incident.
Van Tiel Pyrotechnics originally faced 18 charges laid by WorkSafe New Zealand after the Eden Park display sent fiery shrapnel into a standlast year.
But in Auckland District Court this morning lawyers for WorkSafe and Van Tiel Pyrotechnics agreed to "a resolution", in which the fireworks company entered guilty pleas to seven charges, four of which had been amended.
WorkSafe also indicated restorative justice would be "a worthwhile endeavour" for the company to undertake.
Three fans were injured in the incident at last year's August 23 Bledisloe Cup clash, including Cecilia Wang, who was seated in the low stands to watch her first All Blacks test.
It led to the New Zealand Rugby Union abandoning pre-match on-field pyrotechnic displays for the rest of the season.
The original charges included failing to ensure that a hazardous substance was correctly identified as an explosive, failing to keep a proper record of the explosive material - including labelling it and identifying where it was kept - and failing to ensure the Taupiri property where the explosives were kept had a current test certificate.
The company will be back in court in August for sentencing.
