[Old story] Man jumps into Liffey after Luas blockade [18-04-2008]

[Colm Moore]

http://www.independent.ie/national-n...e-1352940.html

Man jumps into Liffey after Luas blockade
By Anne-Marie Walsh
Saturday April 19 2008


THE Luas tram ground to a halt for an hour and a half yesterday morning after a man blocked the line with his jeep before jumping into the Liffey.

It is understood that the man parked his car across the tram tracks at Heuston Station around 11.30am before making for the river.

Four units of Dublin Fire Brigade rushed to the scene following an emergency call, and a rescue boat from Tara Street fire station was dispatched.

A member of the rescue team said that the divers feared the man had sunk to the bottom of the river at first when they arrived after taking the call at 11.35am.

"There was no sign of him," he said.

"At first they thought he had gone to the bottom as there was no sign of him or shouting.

"Eventually he was found under the bridge at Heuston Station. They did good work."

The Dublin Fire Brigade's river-rescue boat finally brought the man to safety. The man, wearing soaked jeans and a brown top, was carried away from the river bank by four firemen.

A spokesperson for the Luas operator Veolia said the tram service was stopped from Connolly Station to Blackhorse Avenue on garda advice, although the vehicle blocking the tracks had been moved quickly.

Dublin Bus said it would honour all Luas tickets in the areas affected for passengers wishing to travel during the disruption.

AA Roadwatch issued a warning to traffic around Heuston Station on St John's Road West and Parkgate Street as the emergency services attended the scene.

The Luas service has experienced a number of delays due to traffic issues and incidents in the regions where the lines run.

Last October, a blaze at a derelict building near St James's Hospital left tailbacks of traffic in the capital and prevented the Luas from travelling in the area.

In February, the first death involving a Luas tram since the light-rail service began occurred when Anthony Creed, from Dublin's Tallaght, was struck at Cookstown Way, between the Hospital stop and the Tallaght stop on the red Luas line from Connolly to Tallaght.

- Anne-Marie Walsh