Two killed in freak accident
A small rural community was plunged into grief tonight when two men were killed in a tragic accident.
They were electrocuted while erecting temporary lighting for mourners attending the funeral of a local 21-year-old man.
Three other men and a 16-year-old boy were also injured in the accident which took place at Boolaglass near the town of Askeaton in Co Limerick shortly after 5pm this evening.
The two victims were erecting flood lighting beside the home of Billy Sheehan, a young local man who was killed in a car crash on Friday night.
The son of well known local business man Willie Sheehan, he died when his car collided with a wall on the N69 road on Friday night.
The temporary lighting was being installed in a field which was being used as a car park for a wake at his family's home today.
The accident happened when a tower light which was being moved into the field came in contact with an overhead power cable, causing a black-out for nearly two hours in the immediate area.
The two men were tonight pronounced dead at Limerick Regional Hospital and the teenager was moved to the special burns unit in Cork University Hospital.
"It appears they were erecting a flood light using a telescopic pole when it came in contact with an overhead power line," said Superintendent Eddie McKeown, of Askeaton garda station.
He described the accident as a "horrific tragedy".
The names of the dead men have not been released but they are aged in their mid 30's and early forties and were both married with families and from the Co Limerick area.
The dead men and the injured men were all friends of the Sheahan family.
"This is an unbelievable tragedy for the area,” said one local. “The accident on Friday night was bad enough because everyone would know the Sheehan family but for this to happen on the evening of the wake is beyond comprehension".
The Health and Safety Authority was informed of yesterday evening's tragedy and are liaising with gardaí from Askeaton who are investigating the accident.
