The Waikato Times today apologised for inaccuracies in an August 20 story on a summary judgment application by Brian Liddell against Waikato Coolstorage, formerly Icepak Coolstores.

The deadly explosion at Icepak Coolstores’ Tamahere facility was caused by the lack of action of a hazardous goods inspector, a court has been told.

The Labour Department has issued a hazard alert after a refrigeration technician was burnt by exploding hydrocarbon-based refrigerant in circumstances disturbingly similar to the fatal Icepak Tamahere blast.

It is one year since the explosion at Waikato’s Icepak Coolstore, which killed one firefighter and left seven others badly injured. The scars are far from healed for the firemen and the community – and there are still many unanswered questions.

Five months after the fatal Icepak coolstores fire at Tamahere officials have begun the hunt for other coolstores using the highly flammable propane refrigerant – and found one just a few kilometres away at Ohaupo.

The Department of Labour (DOL), which is investigating the April blast and fire at the Icepak coolstores at Tamahere, today issued a fact sheet for industry on the safe use of flammable hydrocarbon refrigerants – the type of gas used at Tamahere.