Man lucky to survive fall into Castlebar ‘death trap’

Man lucky to survive fall into Castlebar ‘death trap’


Edwin McGreal
edwinmcgreal@mayonews.ie

A young man who fell 30 feet into what a Castlebar councillor has called ‘a death trap’, was lucky not to be killed, Castlebar Town Council has heard.
Cllr Blackie Gavin told the meeting last Thursday that a man fell down a 30 foot drop to a canal on the Westport Road in the town and Cllr Gavin, who is a fire officer, explained how a fire crew had to rescue him.
“It’s highly dangerous there. Only for he had a rucksack on his back which protected him when he fell, it could have been much worse. The crew had to use a 35 foot ladder to rescue him, it’s a big drop,” he said.
He was speaking after Cllr Frank Durcan brought up the matter. Cllr Durcan said that the drop had been covered for years by bushes and briars which had grown around them but that they were taken out by council staff recently.
“It’s a death trap, especially for children. If one of those kids slips near there and falls down it, they’re dead,” said Cllr Durcan.
Town Manager Seamus Granahan said he didn’t think that it was council staff that cut the bushes and briars and that he was told it was safe. He said he would get council staff to look at it the following morning (Friday).
Cllr Gavin told The Mayo News that the young men who fell down into the canal was not seriously injured. He said the fall took place before the briars were cut and that the drop is even more dangerous now.

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