Arm of concrete truck smashes into residence

THE calm of an affluent east Cork residential estate was shattered yesterday morning when the long pump arm of a concrete truck smashed through the roof of a house.

A massive crane had to be brought into the residence to remove the piece of machinery.

The accident happened at about 8am shortly after the truck, which belongs to Cork Concrete Pumps, had arrived at the address in The Paddocks, Douglas, to pour concrete to the rear of the residence.

It is understood the owners, a local orthodontist and his wife, were intending to build a new extension onto the property.

The couple and their four children were on holiday in Kerry and it is believed that no one was in the house at the time.

The truck tipped over and the pump arm pierced the top of the large two-storey detached property causing considerable damage to a section of the roof.

Emergency services arrived at the scene a short time later and material was scattered to absorb fuel which had leaked from the machine into the entrance to the leafy estate where houses sell for upwards of €1 million.

Local resident, Pat Lemasney whose house faces the damaged property, said: “I woke up at about 7.15am and heard the truck arriving. Just before 8am I heard a loud noise, looked out my window and saw that the truck had tipped over.”

Another resident said: “The main thing is that no one was hurt.”

A large crane was drafted in to gradually right the toppled vehicle and lift the pump arm out of the house.

One man arrived at the scene and took photographs of the damage on behalf of the owners.

A woman, believed to be a relative, entered the house and removed some items belonging to the family once she was given the green light that the scene was safe.

Cork Concrete Pumps said it had no comment to make on the incident.