Orewa College pleads guilty over fatal blast

The Orewa College board of trustees has pleaded guilty to charges laid against the school following a fatal boiler-room explosion in June last year.

Caretaker Richard Nel died after receiving burns to 90 percent of his body following the explosion and a contractor was seriously injured.

The board initially indicated it would defend charges 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 of a contractor.

The Department of Labour laid the charges and said it would not comment further on the matter.

The board is due to be sentenced in North Shore District Court on July 27.

- NZPA