This article is from page 14 of the 2013-11-19 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 14 JPG
THE owner of a shop in Ennis that was the scene of a bizarre accident last week has said it is a “miracle” no one was killed.
Barry Lynch said Lynch’s Centra was like a “bomb scene” after a van crashed through the front door on Wednesday night.
A number of shoppers were in the store when a white van driven by an elderly man reversed through the main entrance of the busy Gort Road store at around 8.25pm.
It is thought the accident may have occurred due to a clutch fault causing the van to jerk suddenly backwards to the horror of staff and members of the public.
The van had been parked in a space directly opposite the front entrance of the shop. Gardaí, Clare Fire Services and paramedics were on the scene within minutes. Five people were treated for minor injuries at nearby Ennis General Hospital.
The car is being examined by Garda investigators but it is not thought that charges will be brought against the driver.
Shop owner Barry Lynch praised the response of staff and the emergency services to the accident.
“All I can say is that is a miracle that no one was killed. The shop had been very busy but it had quitened down a small bit but there was still around six people at the tills,” he explained.
Mr Lynch continued, “There was a lot of people coming and going and there would have been people, including children, who would have walked directly behind the van before this happened.
“It was like a bomb scene, there was so much glass and shelves everywhere. But credit to the staff. They rolled up their sleeves and got the place cleaned up and we were up and running again by 11.30. But the bottom line is that we’re just so relieved that no one was killed.”
Lynch’s wasn’t the only shop in Ennis unexpectedly damaged by a car on Wednesday night.
Emergency services were also called to the Applegreen Petrol station and shop at Captain Mac’s cross near St Flannan’s College at around 11.30pm after a car smashed into the front window. Gardaí arrested a 37year-old man on suspicion of drink driving. He is due to appear before Ennis District Court on November 27.