‘Freak accident’ suspected after body of woman in her 50s found trapped under car in Wexford

Small community left in shock after neighbours made tragic discovery

The body of a woman in her 50s was found trapped under a car in a housing estate yesterday.

The discovery was made yesterday morning in Mill Park, Castlebridge, near Wexford town.

The alarm was raised by neighbours who found the woman’s body under a car in a driveway outside a home.

The housing estate was sealed off and gardaí erected a tent around the driveway as locals looked on.

An ambulance was called to the scene, but it was quickly established that the woman was dead.

A garda source confirmed the body of a woman had been recovered and they were treating the matter as “a tragic accident” and that “nothing suspicious is currently suspected”.

A forensics team carried out a full examination of the scene.

It is understood the key was in the ignition of the car at the time of the incident and gardaí are working on the assumption that the car rolled and the woman was pinned underneath.

Gardaí are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed the incident between 11.30am and noon yesterday to contact them.

“Anyone with information can contact Wexford garda station on 053 9165200, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any garda station,” they said.

In his role as an operations resource manager with the National Ambulance Service, Independent councillor Ger Carthy was among the emergency services personnel who attended the scene.

The fire service, National Ambulance Service and up to eight garda patrol cars were in attendance.

“I attended the scene as part of a large, multi-agency response,” Cllr Carthy said.

“It was a very sad scene. What exactly transpired here will emerge in the fullness of time, but it seems to have been a freak accident.

“It’s a tragedy of unspeakable proportions,” he added.

“The thoughts of all the emergency services are with this woman and her family.”

Local councillor George Lawlor said the tight-knit community of Castlebridge was stunned.

“This was an extremely shocking and tragic incident in the small community of Castlebridge,” Cllr Lawlor said.

“It appears that this was some kind of freak accident which has claimed the life of a woman. It’s something that will reverberate through the local community in the days to come. My thoughts and prayers are with this lady’s family and friends in the difficult days ahead.”

“It’s a tragedy of unspeakable proportions”