Insurer NZI has sued Invercargill City Council in New Zealand’s South Island for $NZ27 million ($20.1 million) over construction work on a stadium roof that collapsed.

NZI had to pay out around $NZ25 million ($18.6 million) when the roof of Stadium Southland collapsed after a heavy snowfall in September.

Council CEO Richard King says the Southland Indoor Leisure Centre Charitable Trust is suing the engineer involved in the construction of the stadium and the trust is suing the council.

He says the council’s indemnifiers have instructed their solicitors who have advised, on a preliminary basis, that the council is unlikely to have any liability.