Man (65) killed while carrying out storm repair work in Cork

Gardaí and the Health and Safety Authority have both begun investigations after a 65-year-old man was killed while carrying out storm damage repair work for eircom in West Cork this afternoon.

The man - who is from West Cork - was working for a subcontractor hired by eircom to replace storm damaged poles between Glengarriff and Adrigole when the accident happened at around 2pm.

It is understood that the man suffered serious head injuries when a telephone pole that was being erected fell and hit him. Two colleagues who were working with him raised the alarm.

The emergency services were notified and the man was pronounced dead at the scene. His body was later removed to Cork University Hospital for a postortem.

Gardaí are treating the death as a tragic accident and are preparing a file for the Coroner’s Court.

In a statement this evening, eircom said it extended its deepest sympathies to the family of the deceased man. It said it was liaising with its subcontractor KN Networks and had informed the relevant authorities.