Passing doctor said crash victims

February 2008

TWO EXPERT medical staff who just happened to be passing by came to the rescue of a Wicklow town teacher as he lay trapped in the mangled wreckage of his car following a head-on collision with another driver.

Accident and Emergency Consultant Paul Kelly and Breast Surgeon Ezat Tadros, both based in Wexford, were travelling separately towards Dublin when they came upon he scene of Friday’s accident near Barndarrig Service Station.

Teacher Pat Cronin was travelling toward Arklow when his van collided with a BMW car at 4.30 p.m., just as busy rush hour traffic was building up on the remaining unfinished section

of the N11. Four Fire Brigade units were quickly sent to the scene of the collision. The drivers of both cars were trapped inside their vehicles as members of the emergency services desperately worked to free them using the ‘jaws of life’.

When Dr. Tadros, travelling to a conference in Druid’s Glen, arrived on the scene, the driver of the BMW had already been taken away, but Mr. Cronin was still trapped.

Coincidentally, Dr. Kelly, travelling to Dublin and on holidays this week, arrived about half a minute later.

‘ The two cars were very badly smashed,’ said Dr. Tadros this week. ‘ The driver of the BMW had been taken out, but the other man was very badly trapped and it took the best part of 45 minutes to extricate him,’ he said.

Dr. Tadros modestly said that he and is colleague at Wexford General, Dr. Kelly, played small roles, securing Mr. Cronin’s intravenous access and providing him with fluids.