Coroner finds contaminated fuel caused fatal kerosene fridge explosion
Friday 31 October 2025 · 5 outlets · 5 reports · updated In this story ESR
An 80-year-old Picton man died from multi-organ failure following an explosion at a Marlborough Sounds holiday home in 2019. The coroner found that a mixture of kerosene and methylated spirits ignited while the man was lighting a kerosene-powered fridge. The incident resulted in severe burns to 55 per cent of his body.