[article] Rescue crews fight to save leg of man trapped by tram

[Mark Gleeson]

This is the worst incident since the Luas opened nearly 3 years ago.

The worst before this was a pedestrian who was stuck almost head on and 'bounced' off the tram, bit dazed but otherwise uninjured

Originally Posted by Irish Independent

By Brendan Farrelly Friday May 25 2007
FIRE crews last night fought to save a man's leg after he ended up trapped between a tram and a platform.

Dublin Rescue personnel rushed to the scene of the incident at the Luas Jervis Street outbound platform at about 6.30pm.

Four fire units were dispatched to the scene along with an ambulance and a paramedic unit. Options included amputating the leg or lifting the tram, but the rescuers succeeded in cutting away part of the platform and a section of the tram.

Paramedics hooked up an intravenous drip, while the man remained conscious as the cutting operation unfolded.

The ordeal took nearly 40 minutes. The victim, believed to be in his 50s and homeless, was then lifted into an ambulance and rushed to the Mater Hospital.

He was said to have suffered a severe leg injury.

Gardai were trying to establish exactly what happened.
It is believed the man may have run across the road to catch the Luas, but the oncoming train caught his leg up against the platform. One of the first witnesses told how the man was running from the inbound platform to the platform on the opposite side of the road.

He made it to the other side but the approaching tram, which sounded its hooter, caught him by the lower leg.

He was jammed in by the front section of the train. It is understood he was caught by a block that covers the wheel. The witness, who went to the man's aid, said the victim was in a lot of pain but was conscious. He stayed with the injured man until the fire crews arrived.

Serious
The accident was the most serious yet for the Luas operation. There have been six incidents of trams making "contact" with people, but there have been no fatalities.

There have been eight road traffic accidents involving motorists and the Luas since January 2007.

Seven were said to have involved motorists breaking red lights. The Luas was opened on June 30, 2004.

Both the gardai and the Luas are carrying out investigations into the accident.

Services on the Red line, running from Connolly to Tallaght, returned to normal at about 8.10pm.
- Brendan Farrelly

© Irish Independent 2007
http://www.independent.ie/national-n...am-684104.html