Boy, 12, killed as car hits tanker

A BOY of 12 was killed and a second 12-year-old seriously injured after the car in which they were travelling collided with an oil tanker in north Cork yesterday.

A family from the Fermoy area were returning from a trip to the circus when the accident occurred on the Cork-Dublin road, about four miles from Fermoy on the Cork side, at around 4.40pm yesterday.

The driver of the oil tanker, who is from Dundalk, was arrested at the scene and taken to Fermoy Garda Station where he is being detained on suspicion of dangerous driving.

The boy who died in the car was from Ballinahina and was travelling with his aunt and three cousins, aged 13, 12 and seven.

They were attempting to turn right at a townland known as Corrin when the collision occurred near the Southcoast Transport premises.

With the force of the impact, their car was thrown 20-25 metres to the other side of the road where it collided with a second car travelling in the direction of Fermoy.

The woman driver of the second car was uninjured.

Up to four units from the Mitchelstown and Fermoy fire brigade attended the scene and helped cut the family from the car.

They were taken to Cork University Hospital, where the injured 12-year-old boy has been described as “serious but stable”.

A post-mortem examination was due to take place this morning on the body of his cousin. His body remained at the morgue last night. The area where the accident took place is a notorious accident blackspot, according to locals. Gardaí are appealing for witnesses to the accident and also for information from anybody who was travelling in the area around the time of the accident.

They are asked to contact Fermoy Garda Station at 025-82100.