A FAMILY FROM Africa, residing in Co Limerick, are in mourning after their three-year old daughter died in a horrific road crash on a stretch of the M20 last night.
The little girl suffered fatal head injuries in the crash which took place between Adare and Patrickswell at around 4.45pm yesterday.
The girl’s twin brother and her parents, who were also traveling in the car, were not seriously injured.
The family, said to be from the Democratic Republic of Congo, had been living in Limerick city, but they had recently moved to Abbeyfeale, situated close to the Limerick- Kerry border.
The family’s car, driven by the girl’s mother, is understood to have swerved to try to avoid another car after it had mounted the motorway’s central reservation barrier. It’s believed this car had swerved to avoid another car.
The Congo family’s car “barrel rolled” a number of times before coming to a rest on its roof. The little girl was thrown from the car in the incident.
Emergency services first responders tried desperately to save the girl’s life, however she was pronounced dead a short time later at University Hospital Limerick, after paramedics rushed her there by ambulance.
Three men who were traveling in the other car were taken to hospital but were not seriously injured.
“It’s very sad”
A friend of the Congolese family said:
“It’s very sad. They are a quiet and respectful family. They could not find accommodation in Limerick city so they moved to Abbeyfeale about six or seven months ago.”
Members of the wider Congo community here have been providing support to the family.
A large gathering of fellow countrymen and women travelled to Limerick from other parts of the country last night and rallied around the family who were brought to University Hospital Limerick following the fatal crash.
Abbeyfeale Sinn Fein councillor Seamus Browne said:
I want to pass on my sympathies to the family. It is a terrible tragedy. If we can be of any assistance or supply any supports to them we’ll do that.
FIanna Fail party spokesman on justice, Niall Collins, who lives close to the scene of the crash in Patrickswell, said:
There has been a number of fatalities on this stretch of the motorway over the years. Given the weekends events, I’ll be asking the National Roads Authority to review this section of motorway, with a view to carrying out a safety audit.
“I want to express my sympathies with the family and those injured in the crash,” Deputy Collins added.
Speaking to TheJournal.ie this afternoon, Independent Limerick councillor Emmett O’Brien from nearby Pallaskenry said that the community was in shock following the incident.
“Everyone’s just obviously shook and people are very upset,” said O’Brien.
“I extend my deepest sympathies to the family for the bereavement.”
O’Brien said that he had attended a charity cycle this morning in aid of the Alzheimer’s unit in Adare and people were very shocked.
“We had a minute silence this morning before the cycle,” he said.
According to sources, the girl’s twin brother suffered “minor head and facial injuries” in the incident but was not seriously injured.
Gardai closed off the motorway for several hours yesterday to examine the scene and cars involved, and the road has since fully reopened.
Gardai at Roxboro Road, Limerick, have appealed for witnesses to contact them on 061-214340.
With reporting from Cormac Fitzgerald
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