Firefighters free motorists after cars locked into Cork park

The car park at the Regional Park, Ballincollig, Cork.

Firefighters were called to free motorists whose cars got locked into one of Cork’s biggest public parks.

City officials have now advised people to be aware of the closing times in the city's parks, or to consider cycling or walking to the parks instead.

The incident occurred at the 300-acre Regional Park in Ballincollig on Tuesday night when some park users returned to their cars in the park's main western entrance near the Inniscarra Bridge, to find the car park gates had been closed.

There are several large signs advising park users of the car park's opening and closing times. While the car park closes at 7pm during March, a council spokesman said the park operative didn’t close the gate on Tuesday until “closer to 8pm” given the recent fine weather.

Questionable call

But when motorists discovered their cars had been locked in, the fire brigade was called and one unit of Ballincollig fire brigade responded. They have a key to open the gate.

People took to social media to question the decision to call the fire service, raising concerns about what would have happened if they were required at an emergency incident at the same time.

A spokesman for the city council said the fire service does have keys to the car park in case they have to respond to an emergency in the park, through which the River Lee flows, but he said it was unusual for them to be called to release cars.

“There are large signs at the entrance to the park advising of the closing times of the car park,” he said.

“It was closer to 8pm on Tuesday when our operative finally closed the gate.

There are pedestrian access and exit points which are not closed allowing anyone whose vehicle is locked in to leave the park.

“The amenity is open for vehicles at the western Inniscarra end from 9am until 8pm each day during April (11-hours a day) whilst still accessible by pedestrians and cyclists outside these hours." 

Since April 1, the Regional Park and Tramore Valley Park are open until 8pm. That will be extended to 9pm from next month.