Guests hospitalised after hotel lift fall

THREE people remained in hospital last night as the health and safety authority prepared to conduct an investigation into an elevator accident at a Killarney hotel.

Five people were in the lift when it dropped a number of floors at the Killarney Plaza hotel at the weekend.

A spokeswoman for the hotel stated the lift had been inspected and serviced in recent weeks. She said the hotel will be co-operating fully with any investigation.

The five guests, believed to be from Meath and Dublin, were attending a wedding reception in a different hotel in Killarney.

Two of the injured were released from Kerry general Hospital yesterday afternoon following the incident on Saturday. They were in the lift in The Killarney Plaza, a landmark white building with a green copper roof, in the town centre when it crashed to the ground.

It is believed the lift fell from the second floor down to the car park basement.

Five ambulances, the fire service and a number of Garda vehicles attended the scene in Main Street.

The injured, none of them believed to be critical, were transferred to the A&E unit of Kerry General Hospital.

They were freed after the fire service in Killarney managed to prise the lift open.

A number of them are suspected to be suffering broken bones, and shattered ankles according to services at the scene.

A spokeswoman for The Killarney Plaza Hotel and Spa confirmed an incident took place saying it appeared the car park lift “dropped”.

The hotel’s first concern was with the injured, she said.

None of the injured is understood to have sustained life-threatening injuries.

The hotel, formerly known as The Three Lakes changed hands over a decade ago and was completely revamped and extended and includes a popular Spa and conference centre.