Chris Bourke was a project manager for Naylor Love with 20 years experience in commercial construction in the UK and New Zealand, who died after an electronic metal gate fell on him at a construction site in Mt Wellington, Auckland, on March 3.
A service held in Auckland was attended by colleagues and construction bosses a few days after the accident.
“Police extend our condolences to Mr Bourke’s friends and whānau,” a police spokesperson said.
A colleague of Bourke’s told the New Zealand Herald he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
“All I know is this large sliding gate was being opened by Chris to let some subbies in to the site and fell inwards on him. The gate had been operating for around two years.
“He was sadly in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
The colleague said Bourke joined Naylor Love after arriving in New Zealand from the United Kingdom.
“He joined the company a couple of years after immigrating to New Zealand in 2019,” the friend said.
“He was only 41 when he passed but was project manager for some big multimillion-dollar jobs.
“Chris was originally of Irish origin but grew up in Birmingham. He was extremely well liked.
“It is just a sad loss of a good man.”
According to his LinkedIn account, Bourke held a number of senior positions on a variety of award-winning commercial projects from tender stage through to completion and had a vast amount of work experience across various sectors of construction including education, residential, infrastructure, retail and health.
Outgoing Naylor Love chief executive Rick Herd - who leaves the company at the end of this month - and who is based in Dunedin, flew to Auckland following Bourke’s death to address the worksite accident.
Herd told the Otago Daily Times since news of Bourke’s death broke, he had been burdened with feelings of responsibility, helplessness and anger that he “couldn’t have done more”.
Bourke’s death weighed heavy on his mind.
“You feel like you failed because health and safety is something that I’ve really worked very hard at in the industry, not just at Naylor Love,” said Herd, who sits on the board of Construction Health and Safety New Zealand.
“Without a doubt, that would be my biggest regret as I sit here now.”
