HSA examines farm where girl (8) killed by tractor

Health and Safety Authority inspectors have begun examining the scene of a fatal farm accident in Co Cork at the weekend which claimed the life of an 8-year-old girl and left another girl in a critical condition in a hospital.

Paula Dinsberga (8) was fatally injured and her 11-year-old friend was seriously injured when the bucket fell from a tractor and hit them as they were playing on the farm at Rusheen, Newtownshandrum near Charleville in north Cork around 6pm yesterday.

Paula's 6-year-old twin brothers and her 1-year-old sister were staying with family friends at their rented house in Rusheen while Paula's parents, Linda and Raivo, were back in their native Latvia attending a wedding.

Gardai from Fermoy in north Cork drove to Dublin Airport late yesterday to meet Paula’s parents as they arrived back from Riga and broke the news before accompanying them to Cork.

Paula's parents, who live at the Orchards, Huntsfield in Dooradoyle in Limerick city, are being comforted by friends today after they met with gardai in Mallow, who are investigating the tragic accident.

“They are completely devastated by what’s happened, as are the Pliesnanis family. They are close friends, so close that the Dinsbergas were happy to leave their four children with them when they went back to Riga. It’s just a terribly tragedy for everyone,” said one source.

The 11-year-old girl was medivacked by a Defence Forces helicopter to Cork University Hospital, where she underwent emergency surgery last night. She remains in a critical but stable condition at the hospital's intensive care unit.

Health and Safety Authority inspectors began examining the scene of the incident this morning, and carried out a preliminary technical examination of the tractor and the bucket which became detached.

The bucket fell on the two girls causing serious head and chest injuries to both of them. The alarm was raised and the emergency services arrived quickly, but Paula was pronounced dead at the scene by a local GP.