Mother and son, 11, injured as drainpipe collapses

A mother and her 11-year-old son were rushed to hospital yesterday after a metal drainpipe fell from a building, hitting them both and narrowly missing the woman’s infant.

It is understood that the incident occurred shortly after 4pm yesterday on Silver St in Nenagh, Co Tipperary.

The woman, believed to be in her 40s, sustained serious facial injuries. Her 11-year-old son sustained serious head injuries.

The woman, who is thought to be living locally, was pushing another child in a buggy in front of her. This child is believed to be unharmed.

“They were just walking along and a big iron gutter collapsed right on top of them, one of those big old-fashioned ones, from about 25 foot up,” said James Williams, who was at the scene and spoke to the injured woman’s sister.

“The guys from Nenagh’s ambulance service were brilliant though, and the local gardaí were brilliant. They came in and cordoned off the area in no time at all.”

Emergency services arrived on the scene within minutes and the woman and her son were rushed to hospital for treatment.