Exclusive Anika Forsman 18 Oct 2007

WORKMATES of a man having a heart attack watched in horror as an ambulance lost life-saving minutes because of a blocked road.  St John was called to a Highview Terrace building site in Queens­town last Friday afternoon – only to find the roadway impassable.  “It would’ve taken the ambulance at least another four minutes to get to the scene,” says St John boss Colin McGee. “He was in a serious condition so four minutes is a really long time and was quite crucial.”

The 39-year-old victim, builder Tony Kerr, was flown to Dunedin Hospital by helicopter with an ICU retrieval team.  His boss Colin Koberstein was on site when Kerr collapsed and he raised the alarm.

“All of sudden he just dropped on site and was dying,” Koberstein says.   “When we saw the ambulance coming up the wrong way we just freaked out and had to call 111 again – he was lying on the ground convulsing.”  Kerr remains in a serious condition and must spend three weeks in hospital to await quadruple bypass surgery.

“I just think the roadblock caused too much wasted time, it shouldn’t still be on all the maps as if you can go through there,” Koberstein says.  McGee says St Johns’ electronic map system had directed them to travel up Hensman Road on to Highview Terrace.  “When the crew got down the road there was a section that wasn’t complete and blocked so there was a wee bit of confusion,” he says. “Then the system was able to give them another direction which was off Goldfields.”

The blocked 15m strip of road has been in dispute for almost four years between the landowning Hensman family and Queenstown Lakes District Council.  Prior to his collapse, Kerr was being treated for a stomach complaint which doctors now say was actually a series of mini heart attacks.

The Scotsman has lived in Queenstown for seven years but isn’t a New Zealand resident so is ineligible for additional care after surgery.  “He’s got no family here, absolutely nobody,” Koberstein says. “He’s going to have to give up his flat because he won’t be able to afford it.  “I’m probably going to have to take him in and look after him because he’s not eligible for a [sickness] benefit.”  Doctors believe it’ll be three to six months before Koberstein can return to work and then only for light duties.