Utility firm denies it was warned power cut would cause death

A New Zealand utility company that cut off power to the home of a woman connected to an electric oxygen pump, leading to her death, insisted today it was not aware she was dependent on the machine.

The family of Folole Muliaga accused the company of calling them liars over Tuesday’s incident, in which the 44-year-old mother of four died two hours after a contractor working for the utility, state-owned Mercury Energy, cut power to the house over an unpaid bill worth NZ$168.40 (€91.85).