Court sequel to blast

Press, 31 May 1985, Page 5

Court sequel to blast

An explosion which injured a German familv travelling through the Buller Gorge in February will have a sequel in the District Court at Westport next month. As a result of the incident, two West Coast employees of the Ministry of Works and Development will be charged under the Construction Act. The hearing is set down for June 25. The men will face separate charges: failing to comply with the requirements of the construction regulations and doing an act likely to endanger another.

Under the act, a maximum fine of $5OOO can be imposed. The Crown prosecutor’s office in Christchurch will

lay the charges, which come as a result of a report prepared by a Labour Department inspector which was passed on to the Secretary of Labour.

In the incident on February 16 a vehicle in which the von Lutzau family was travelling was blown off the road by a road works explosion.

The family’s car and another vehicle, which was not damaged, got through road blocks which had been set up.

Mr Ruedejer von Lutzau suffered minor injuries and his wife. Mrs Gaby von Lutzau. suffered a punctured lung and a broken wrist and collarbone.

Their son, Joern. aged six suffered a broken leg.