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PART OF THE M7 Dublin to Limerick Road has been closed after a motorist lost his life in a horrific 12-car pile up tonight.
According to a reliable source, the man, aged in his 50s, suffered catastrophic head injuries and died after his car left the road between Birdhill and Castletroy, shortly after 7.30pm.
It’s believed a freak hailstone storm which is reported to have hit the area at the time of the incident, may have been a factor in the multi-vehicle collision.
According to sources there are reports of “multiple injuries” to a number of casualties, but these injuries are not believed to be serious.
The deceased had been driving from Birdhill towards Limerick when his car left the road and crashed through a fence, a source said.
The man’s body has since been moved to University Hospital Limerick where a post mortem is expected to be conducted.
A “multi-agency response” is being carried out by emergency services.
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At least six fire trucks containing crews from Limerick City, and Newport, Nenagh, in Co Tipperary, as well as six ambulances from the region, have been dispatched to the scene.
A crew of firefighters attached Limerick City and County Fire Service who had been attending a minor collision in Newport, were swiftly on the scene of the “massive pile up”, sources said.
Gardaí have closed the southbound traffic lane between Junction 27 Birdhill and Junction 28 Castletroy and are awaiting a garda forensic collision investigator to conduct a detailed examination of the scene.
Gardaí, paramedics and fire crews were alerted to the area after receiving reports of a number of collisions in the area.
It’s understood up to 12 cars skidded off the road around the the same time after a heavy sleet shower struck.
“There was a massive snowstorm and a heavy shower of sleet around the time of the fatal crash. There were at around 12 cars involved,” a reliable source said.
The deceased’s car went off the road and crashed through a fence. His vehicle ended up on waste ground in a ravine just off the motorway.
Traffic in the area was being turned around by gardaí and diversions have been put in place.
Gardaí at Henry Street Garda Station, Limerick, are investigating. The road remains closed.
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