Life-saving equipment stolen from fire station

Criminals are risking causing a “catastrophic” road crash disaster after stealing almost €35,000-worth of essential life-saving emergency equipment from a West Cork fire station.

Senior firefighters have confirmed the vital equipment — including jaws of life tools, hydraulic pumps, a reciprocating saw, and rams for removing the front of cars when cutting people out of crashes — were all stolen from Dunmanway station on Sunday night.

While gardaí are keeping an open mind on the reason for the seizure, it is believed the equipment was taken to order by a criminal gang.