Coroner finds faulty roller door caused death of Auckland pastor
Thursday 29 October 2026 · 4 outlets · 4 reports · updated In this story WorkSafe New Zealand, Janet Anderson
Coroner Janet Anderson has ruled that a defective installation caused a 273kg roller door to fall and kill Helen Verry at a Glendene church in 2022. The findings described the church's failure to identify the slumping door as a hazard as a serious deficiency. Verry's husband said the findings answered most of his questions.
Key facts
3 facts
- Helen Verry died on 30 January 2022 at Church Unlimited in Glendene
- The door was installed in March 2009 by Scotty Doors Limited
- Scotty Doors was ordered to pay $145,000 in emotional harm reparation and a $41,250 fine in August 2023
The full story
1 min read · 4 outlets
A coroner has found that a defective installation of a metal roller door caused the death of youth pastor Helen Verry at a West Auckland church. Verry, 44, sustained fatal head injuries on 30 January 2022 when the door fell at Church Unlimited in Glendene. The coroner, Janet Anderson, identified the primary cause as the 2009 installation of the door by Scotty Doors Limited, now known as SDL Group Limited.
The investigation revealed that anchor coach screws at the non-motorised end were too short due to an 18mm plywood packer. One screw was placed in the space between studs, while another split the edge of a timber stud. While reports vary on the door's weight, stating either 230kg or 273kg, the collapse resulted in Verry's death.
Coroner Anderson described Verry as an "innocent victim whose life was tragically cut short through no fault of her own". The coroner noted that the church had a "serious deficiency" in its operating systems because the door was not listed on a hazard register or subject to regular maintenance. However, it was found that church staff could not have reasonably known the door was unsafe as the defects were hidden behind a lintel.
Six formal recommendations were issued, including that commercial roller doors be inspected regularly by qualified technicians. The coroner also suggested that the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment consider including commercial internal roller doors in the Building Warrant of Fitness regime. Auckland Council has accepted a recommendation to review the 2009 building consent process for the church extension.
How it developed
- Thu 29 Oct, 4:52amThe report notes that the church had taken steps to make the campus safer following the death and SDL had changed its operating procedures.
Where reports differ
- Reports differ on the weight of the roller door, citing either 230kg or 273kg
Compiled from reports by Stuff, RNZ, NZ Herald and 1News.