Cave Creek disaster

The Cave Creek disaster was an event in which 14 people died when a scenic viewing platform collapsed. It occurred in Paparoa National Park on New Zealand's West Coast, on 28 April 1995. The tragedy resulted in Denis Marshall, New Zealand's Minister of Conservation, resigning over claims of negligence. It also resulted in major changes to procedures used by the New Zealand Department of Conservation after it was revealed that serious systemic failures and underfunding had led to the building of the unstable platform, as well as changes in New Zealand Law, to allow for government departments to be held liable for inadequate building practices.

Background

Cave Creek is a small stream in Paparoa National Park. The viewing platform was erected by the Department of Conservation in April 1994, and looked out over a 40-metre chasm. The platform was constructed to allow visitors a view of Cave Creek emerging from a cave system below. However, the designers and builders of the platform did not have appropriate qualifications for the job, and at least ten major problems or oversights occurred during the platform's construction. The platform was highly unsafe, especially with large numbers of people on it.

The platform collapse

On the day of the incident, a group of students from Tai Poutini Polytechnic in Greymouth visited the park. En route through the bush, a small group consisting of the polytechnic tutor, a DOC officer and three students split off while the larger group of 17 students and another DOC officer continued towards the platform.

The larger group reached the platform first, and walked to the edge together at about 11:25 a.m.. Later, in 2005, survivor Stacy Mitchell admitted that he and some other students were shaking the platform hard when it collapsedref|shaking, prompting it to topple forwards into the chasm. In the collapse, the DOC officer and 13 of the students were killed. Four students survived the collapse, although with serious injuries.

The second group reached the location shortly after the collapse. Having realised what happened, the remaining DOC officer and one of the students ran back to the start of the track for help, but on arriving they found that the keys were not in the group's vehicles. At this point, the DOC officer returned to the scene of the accident while the student ran along the road with a note containing information about the location of the accident. By 12:15 p.m., he had managed to phone the police at Greymouth.

The remoteness of the site made it difficult for medical services to assist the survivors. The first person to reach the scene was a Greymouth police constable, who arrived on foot two hours after the accident—ambulances from Greymouth and Westport and helicopters from Christchurch arrived only later.

List of Victims

*BLACKMAN, Alison Robyn
*CHISHOLM, Paul Parker
*COOK, Anne-Marie Olive
*DAVIS, Jody George
*HOBSON, Barry Peter
*LARMOUR, Abram Anthony
*McCARTHY, Catherine Francis
*MURRAY, Scott Andrew
*O'DEA, Stephen Mark (DOC officer)
*PAWSEY, Kit Buster
*REED, Matthew Brydon
*REID, De Anne
*SHAW, Peter Andrew
*STUART, Evan David

The Royal Commission of Inquiry

A Royal Commission of Inquiry into the accident highlighted a number of serious concerns with the Department of Conservation's construction of the platform. Specific concerns that were raised included:

* the platform had not been designed or approved by a qualified engineer.
* none of the people involved in building the platform were qualified engineers.
* nails were used to secure the platform instead of bolts (as intended by the design), because an appropriate drill had not been taken to the building site.
* the steps to the platform, which were supposed to be attached as a counterweight, had not been properly attached.
* a warning sign for the platform, indicating the maximum limit of people, had been ordered but was never installed at the site.

Besides the specific flaws in the actual platform and methods of its construction, the Commission pointed out that the "root causes" of the collapse were systemic problems in the Department as a whole, saying that the Department was seriously under-funded and under-resourced. The Commission found that the Department had not been given sufficient resources to meet its requirements without "cutting corners", and was frequently forced to accept poor quality standards due to its lack of funding. [http://www.doc.govt.nz/Whats-New/Issues/Archive/Cave-Creek/Commission-of-Inquiry-Cave-Creek-Report/index.asp] The report of the Commission concluded that given the department's state, "a tragedy such as Cave Creek was almost bound to happen".

Repercussions

Within three months of the accident, the Department of Conservation investigated its entire network of 106 viewing platforms throughout New Zealand. Fifteen were closed for repairs, indicating that the department had quickly realised shortcomings in the safety of their construction.

The review led to the removal of a large number of DOC structures, and many safety notices appeared on the remainder around New Zealand. Indeed, some felt the response was excessive; for instance, bridges and platforms were labelled with signs such as "1 person maximum", acting as an eerie reminder of the disaster which prompted the safety review.

Although the Department of Conservation accepted responsibility for the accident, there were no prosecutions due to a loophole in New Zealand law that prevented government departments from being held liable in such a situation. $2.6 million was still paid to the victims' families, however. Since the accident, New Zealand law has been adjusted to ensure that the Building Act covers government departments, and to allow government departments to be held liable for such negligence in future.

The Minister of Conservation, Denis Marshall, was strongly criticised in the media for his management of the Department, with many blaming him for its shortfalls. Marshall came under heavy pressure to resign, and eventually did so in May 1996 (over a year after the accident occurred). A new Minister, Nick Smith, was appointed, and a full review of the Department was conducted by the State Services Commission.

A memorial plaque was unveiled in April 1996. The path was re-opened in 1998, but the viewing platform was not rebuilt. In place of the platform are a fence and warning sign.

Notes

# cite news|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10115932|title=Cave Creek haunts survivor|publisher=New Zealand Herald|date=18 March, 2005

External links

* [http://library.christchurch.org.nz/Kids/NZDisasters/CaveCreek.asp Christchurch City Libraries background page on Cave Creek]
* [http://www.doc.govt.nz/templates/MultiPageDocumentTOC.aspx?id=41786 Commission of Inquiry into Cave Creek]
* [http://www.doc.govt.nz/Whats-New/Issues/Archive/Cave-Creek/Review-of-the-Department-of-Conservation-(Post-Cave-Creek).pdf A review of the Department of Conservation conducted after Cave Creek] (PDF file)