New Zealand man fights for life after Christmas party incident

December 18, 2000
Web posted at: 9:21 AM HKT (0121 GMT)

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Reuters) -- A New Zealand office employee is fighting for his life after his synthetic grass skirt costume caught fire at a staff Christmas party, local media reported on Monday.

The 24-year-old Merrill Lynch employee was in a critical condition after the stock brokering firm held a Hawaiian theme party in an Auckland hotel on Friday, the New Zealand Herald reported.

A 29-year-old woman also received burns after trying to help him and was in a satisfactory condition, hospital staff said.

The heat of the fire was so intense it set off the hotel's sprinkler system.

Fire Service senior station officer Barry Fox told the paper firefighters arrived to a chaotic scene.

"The whole thing was pandemonium. There were people crying and trying to look after the burned people and doing what they could for them -- they were both in shock," he said.

Fox said the tragedy highlighted the need for people to take care at parties and barbecues where alcohol and fire could be a dangerous mix. People needed to be aware that fancy dress costumes could be highly flammable, he said.

Merrill Lynch New Zealand managing director Peter Brook told the Herald staff were "utterly devastated" by the incident.

"Everyone has been supporting each other and certainly we've been providing as much support as we possibly can to the families," he said.

A 26-year-old man had been charged with assault over the incident and police said more serious charges could follow, the paper said.

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