Teenagers left with life-changing injuries following crash in south Dublin

A number of teenagers have been left with life-changing injuries after being struck by a car in south Dublin.The teenagers were outside the Nearby newsagents shop on Oliver Plunkett Road, near the junction with Kill Avenue, Dún Laoghaire, at about 3pm when a car mounted the pavement and struck them yesterday afternoon.The collision involved a car and six pedestrians, three male and three female teenagers, ranging from 13 to 15 years old.Three of the teenagers were taken to Children’s Health Ireland Temple Street and three to Children’s Health Ireland Crumlin to be treated for a range of injuries, some critical.READ MOREOne male teenager (15) who witnessed the scene was taken to Children’s Health Ireland Tallaght for medical attention.The female driver, aged in her 40s, remains in hospital receiving medical attention.A number of family liaison officers have been appointed to support the relatives of those involved in the collision.An incident room has been established in Dún Laoghaire Garda station and a senior investigating officer has been appointed.The road remains closed as gardaí carry out a technical examination. The vehicle, which was still at the scene last night, appeared to come to a halt after it hit a large pillar at the shop entrance, causing significant damage to the front of the car.Three of the four wheels of the vehicle were on the footpath at the scene last night.Gardaí are trying to determine whether the driver had suffered a medical episode behind the wheel, causing her to lose control of the vehicle.Due to the large number of casualties, several teams of paramedics worked on the injured at the scene before they were transferred by ambulance to hospitals.Though the precise nature of their injuries was not clear last night, sources familiar with the case said a number of the teenagers were critical and had sustained serious leg injuries necessitating surgery.People gathered at the scene spoke of their shock, with a number of people living within the Garda cordon, which sealed off the scene, were waiting to be allowed back into their homes.Lighting systems had been erected inside the cordon to allow the Garda’s crash scene investigators continue with their work as darkness fell. The discarded wrappers from medical equipment used by paramedics to treat the victims could be seen across the crash scene.“Everyone is saying this woman had a medical emergency and now these kids are injured, it’s really shocking,” said one man at the scene. “You’d see the kids hanging around outside the shop after getting a few sweets or whatever – that’s probably what they were doing.”Fine Gael Councillor Dan Carson, who represents the Blackrock local electoral area on Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, said: “I am aware of a serious vehicle incident in Monkstown Farm. My thoughts are with the first responders currently on scene and the families of those affected.”Gardaí are appealing for anyone who was on Oliver Plunkett Road in Dún Laoghaire on Sunday between 3pm and 3.15pm to contact investigating gardaí.Any road users who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) from the area at the time are asked to make this footage available to gardaí.A dark brown Nissan X-Trail was seen travelling from the Kill Avenue direction on to Oliver Plunkett Road. Anyone who observed this vehicle between 2.45pm and 3.15pm is also asked to speak to investigating gardaí.Anyone with any information is asked to contact Dún Laoghaire Garda station on (01) 6665000, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.