Photo: ANTHONY PHELPS / STUFF
A Picton great-grandfather died after contaminated fuel in a kerosene fridge exploded, causing fatal burns.
Associate Coroner James Buckle, in findings released on Friday morning, warned people of the dangers of such refrigerators and urged caution with their use.
Anzac MacDonald, 80, suffered burns to 55 percent of his body when the fuel he was using to light the kerosene fridge at his holiday home in the Marlborough Sounds exploded.
He died as a result of multi-organ failure caused by the severe burns on 8 March 2019 after more than five weeks in Middlemore Hospital.
A family member took a sample of the fridge's fuel after the accident and it was sent to ESR for analysis.
An investigator from Fire and Emergency found methylated spirits in the fuel reservoir along with kerosene and ruled the explosion was caused by the accidental ignition of the two fuels mixing, which lowered the flashpoint and caused an ignitable vapour.
Kerosene fridges are not common, but are used in areas where there is no electricity.
They use a flame, created by a wick in a fuel reservoir that has kerosene in it, to create an endothermic reaction that draws heat from the interior of the fridge.
Associate Coroner Buckle warned people to take precautions when using kerosene fridges, to only use kerosene or other approved fuels, to not mix fuels, to ensure the burner is extinguished when the fuel reservoir is being removed and to clean up spilt fuel before using the fridge.
In January 2019, MacDonald and several family members were at their holiday home in Endeavour Inlet.
MacDonald attempted to light the kerosene fridge, but his initial was unsuccessful.
He emptied some of the kerosene out of the fuel container, changed the length of the wick, then waited 20 minutes for the fuel container to cool down before attempting to light it again.
The fuel exploded during the second attempt, covering his hands.
A family member pulled MacDonald out of the room and used a fire extinguisher to put out the fire.
His clothing had caught fire and he rolled down a bank in a bid to extinguish it while family members doused him in water, cut his clothes off and placed him in a bath of cool water.
The family used a VHF radio to contact emergency services and a rescue helicopter arrived an hour later and flew MacDonald to Hutt Hospital, where he was stabilised and treated before being flown to Middlemore Hospital.
However, doctors could not stabilise him enough to allow skin graft surgery and MacDonald's health deteriorated.
He was eventually transferred to palliative care, dying of his injuries almost six weeks later.
Buckle said there was no evidence to establish who put methylated spirits in the fridge's fuel reservoir or when it occurred and there was no evidence to suggest it was done with the deliberate intent to cause damage or harm.
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