Gardaí appealing for information following collision on N28; woman (50s) in serious condition
Road closures in the vicinity of the serious road traffic collision on Carr's Hill Co Cork. Pic: Larry Cummins
GARDAí are appealing to road users who may have witnessed the collision on the N28 yesterday to contact them.
A woman in her 50s is said to be in a serious condition in Cork University Hospital (CUH) following the incident involving three cars, a van, and a truck, on the N28 at approximately 1.15pm.
The female driver, who is believed to have been travelling in the opposite direction to the articulated truck, was pinned inside her car for just under three hours by a container that had become detached from the truck.
Emergency services are understood to have used “used every piece of emergency equipment available” to free the woman who was trapped in a car during a major emergency response at Carr’s Hill on Thursday after the collision.
Gardaí, National Ambulance Service paramedics, and four units of Cork City Fire Brigade attended the scene.
Specialist healthcare workers from the HSE and CUH including trauma response doctors and a haematologist also attended the scene.
The driver of the truck was treated on scene for shock and minor injuries.
The stretch between the Shannon Road roundabout in Carrigaline and the Bloomfield Interchange in Douglas remained closed for several hours following the incident.
The road was later reopened following a technical examination conducted by the Garda Forensic Collision Investigation team.
Speaking to , Cork City Fire Brigade Third Officer Gerard Ryan said: “When the units arrived on scene they spotted the car that was trapped really badly between the ditch and under the container of the articulated lorry.
“It was a very complex rescue exercise because of the weight of the container. It took just under three hours to free the lady from the car.
“The container was bearing down all the way up to the A-post of the car. It was a very heavy container, the truck was carrying a full load. We used every piece of emergency equipment that was available to us,” he added.
Emergency responders coordinated their efforts using multiple types of equipment including heavy lifting equipment, airbag cutting equipment, winching equipment, and a track excavator which was delivered by nearby builders working on the M28.
Local Fianna Fáil councillor Seamus McGrath said: “It was an extremely serious accident. My thoughts and prayers are with the lady in hospital, and I’m hoping for the very best for her and her family.”
Gardaí in Togher are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed this incident to contact them.
"Any road users who were travelling on the N28 this afternoon between 12.45pm and 1.45pm and who may have camera footage (including dash cam) is asked to make this available to investigating Gardaí," a garda spokesperson said.
Anyone with information in relation to the incident is asked to contact Togher Garda Station on 021 494 7120, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.
A Garda spokesperson said: “An Garda Síochána is aware that there are images related to this serious road traffic collision in circulation through group chat and on social media. This is an ongoing investigation and out of respect for those involved, please do not forward or share.” Togher gardaí are appealing to road users travelling on the N28 between 1pm and 1.45pm, who have camera footage of the incident, to make it available to them.
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