Man dies in Co Wicklow road accident

A man was killed today in a serious road accident in which two cars were trapped under a lorry on the N11.

Gardaí confirmed there was one fatality in the crash on at Clonpadden, around six miles north of Arklow, Co Wicklow, while a number of people have been taken to hospital.

The collision involved an articulated lorry and two cars, a garda spokeswoman said.

Rescue workers have brought in heavy lifting equipment to lift the lorry off the cars and free people trapped in the wreckage.

Three ambulances have already left the scene carrying people to hospital, an eyewitness said.

The incident occurred in a well-known local accident blackspot where three adults and two children died in a collision between a mini-bus and a lorry in September 1998.

The Arklow area was also the scene of a three-car pile up yesterday afternoon which injured 10 people including four children.

The N11 is completely closed at the site of the crash and gardai are diverting traffic at Jack Whites Pub and Scratenagh Cross.

Officers are still at the scene and the road will remain closed for several hours, the garda spokeswoman said.