Emergency services attending the scene of the crash Pat Flynn Pat Flynn

A GARDA RESCUED a couple and their baby from an overturned car this afternoon just before it caught fire.

The single-vehicle collision happened at around 2pm at Ballycar on the R470 Newmarket-on-Fergus to Sixmilebridge Road in Co Clare.

The car is understood to have lost control, struck a wall and rolled over into a green area.

As the vehicle lay on its roof, with the young couple and baby trapped inside, smoke began to appear from the front of the vehicle.

Garda Declan Fawl, based at nearby Newmarket-on-Fergus Station, was first to arrive at the scene and jumped into action helping the occupants escape through a rear door before a fire took hold.

Two units of the fire brigade from Shannon Town arrived at the incident soon afterwards and quickly extinguished the fire which was confined to the engine and had not spread into the vehicle.

All three were initially cared for by fire crews before they were taken into a local house for comfort. The National Ambulance Service dispatched two ambulances to the scene.

All three were assessed by ambulance paramedics but were found to have been unhurt and not in need of hospitalisation.

A Garda spokesman confirmed: “Gardaí were alerted to a single-vehicle road traffic collision at Ballycar, Newmarket-on-Fergus and the local patrol car responded immediately. Garda Declan Fawl discovered the car on its roof with smoke coming from the engine. He helped all three from the car through a rear door shortly before the car went on fire.

“We commend Garda Fawl for his bravery and quick actions and we are thankful that no-one was injured.”