-
Glenn Te Miha-Barlow, 5, died when a log from this pile rolled on to him at Motueka High School. - Source: Fairfax -
Related
The family of a young Motueka boy who was crushed to death by a log want answers about why he was able to play on what they say was an unstable pile of logs that should never have been where it was.
Tensions were high yesterday morning at the scene of Thursday evening's accident at the back of Motueka High School's field, as Neil Jackson Contracting workers removed between 30 and 40 logs.
Members of Glenn Te Miha-Barlow's whanau were visibly distressed and demanding answers from Motueka High School officials after the five-year-old Parklands School pupil died while playing with friends at the site.
The school's board of trustees chairman, Ian Palmer, said he understood the family's anguish, as one relative quizzed him.
"I understand his grief, and I understand they've been drinking."
Mr Palmer said he could not comment about why the logs had been stacked in the manner they were, without any barriers or signs.
"I'm not prepared to speculate on that. I think that's quite inappropriate."
He said it appeared that the school's groundsman was stacking the logs, working with the logging contractor, "but ... there's question marks around some of the information".
Mr Palmer said there were often a lot of people using the school grounds and walking through them, as they provided access between streets. Houses in McGlashen St - one of which Glenn had been visiting with his father and three sisters - back on to the field.
"This is just so unfortunate. It's blown all of our minds."
Mr Palmer said the mood at the school yesterday had been sombre, and the school would be offering whatever support it could to Glenn's whanau.
The boy's godfather and uncle, Frederick Te Miha, said his sister was devastated by what had happened to her mischievous son.
"My sister's boy's got killed ... they shouldn't have stuck [the logs] like that."
He said his sister could not visit the site, as she was too devastated. Glenn's father, Todd Barlow, had left a candle there.
Mr Te Miha said he was on the scene not long after the accident, after someone phoned him to tell him "my nephew had been squashed". He had been at the same house as the boy's father, who he said had not realised the children were playing on the logs.
The family wanted answers, he said, but "it comes down to who stacked the wood".
Ryan Way, another of Glenn's uncles, who has worked in forestry for almost a decade - and attended Motueka High School - said he thought the logs were stacked using an industrial method that was not safe to use in public spaces, as it left the logs unstable.
Forestry transport and management company LWT director Leon Wood said that for logs stacked in a public area, "there would be all sorts of things that you need to do to advise the public to keep away".
Mr Wood said areas where logs were stacked needed to be cordoned off and signs erected advising of the danger.
"All our guys are advised never to climb up on to them, because they can roll. It's a hazard ... logs on a log stack aren't safe, they can roll down any time."
He said logs could roll even without a bump, if the bottom logs sank into the ground, and neither children nor adults should be allowed anywhere near unstable logs.
"If it was in a public area, I would have thought there needed to be signage ... you would almost think it would need to be fenced off. If [there were none of those things], that's absolutely terrible, and [the accident] could have been prevented maybe by some string and a few signs."
Sergeant Rob Crawford of Motueka said police had completed a scene examination and had spoken with a number of people as part of their investigation.
He said it was unclear if charges would be laid.
"We're miles away from that. It's going to be weeks, if not months, before we make those decisions."
The Education Ministry said schools were required to comply with all relevant health and safety legislation. The ministry would be helping the police and the Labour Department with their investigations, and would "consider any actions that may be required as a result".
The ministry said its traumatic incident team had visited the affected schools and would continue to provide support. The high school said it was also conducting its own investigation, which it hoped to complete next week.
Designated family spokesperson Sean Delany said this morning the family were doing as best as they could.
"I do feel for them, and I feel for Todd, being a father myself. Glenn was his only boy. He was a good little boy.
"It's certainly sent ripples through the community."
Parklands School held a memorial gathering for Glenn yesterday, and pupils had taken pictures and photos of Glenn back to the house, he said.
"There were a lot of people there. It was really awesome to see all the community support. It's also been really hard for those kids, especially Glenn's sisters."
Glenn's body was this morning moved to Te Awhina Marae, where his funeral will be held on Monday morning.
Latest NZ News Video
-
Kiwi speaks to TVNZ7 from Everest base camp (1:59)
-
Immigration advisor Bill Milnes discusses claims (4:34)
-
Dance to save Shakti service (0:41)
