Man breaks leg after jumping 10m from pub

Cork’s emergency services have been hailed as heroes after the rescue of a man who climbed over a pub balcony and fell almost 10m into the river Lee.

He suffered a suspected broken leg after the incident at the Electric Bar on the South Mall on Monday evening.

He is believed to have climbed the railings surrounding an upstairs balcony just before 11pm and threatened to throw himself in to the river.

Bar staff reacted quickly and alerted the emergency services.

Five units of Cork City Fire Brigade attended the scene as bar staff and customers tried to coax the man back on to the balcony.

Third officer Liam Walsh said they thought they were responding to a man threatening to jump from a building but got more information on route.

They were on the scene within minutes and found the man lying badly injured in the water. It was low tide at the time and water depths were about 60cm.

Four swift water rescue technicians entered the river and placed the casualty in a floating basket.

It was taken across the river to the Sullivan’s Quay side where it was winched out. The man was taken to hospital by ambulance.

Rory FitzPatrick, the chief executive of the National Space Centre Ltd in Midleton, witnessed the incident and heaped praise on the emergency services.

“We went out to see if we could help and did assist the staff in getting a life buoy to the man in the water. However he seemed to have fallen unconscious,” said Mr FitzPatrick.

“The staff had called the emergency services and within two minutes, there were two gardaí on the scene and the first of many fire tenders arrived no more than two or three minutes later.

“The fire service personnel were down and in the water very shortly after and began treating the man while in the water.

“While the man seemed badly injured from the fall the sheer speed of response by all the services was spectacular and has definitely saved his life.

“With the river temperature so cold this time of year this time of year, he would have not lasted long and would surely have died from hypothermia.”