Pedestrian killed as Luas and car crash

A woman in her 30s was killed in a Dublin city centre collision this morning involving a Luas tram and a car.

She was named by gardaí this evening as 35-year-old Yao Webster from Donabate Co Dublin.

Ms Webster was struck by a car after the vehicle collided with a moving Luas at the junction of Jervis Street and Abbey Street Upper at 8.45am.

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A body its taken from the scene of the fatal Luas crash in the centre of Dublin today. Photograph: Gareth Chaney/Collins

The woman was pronounced dead at the scene.

The collision took place outside the entrance to the National Leprechaun Museum beside the Abbey Street entrance to the Jervis Street Shopping Centre.

Gardaí are appealing for witnesses to contact Store Street Garda Station on 01-6668000 or the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111.

Forensic collision specialists have carried out an examination of the area.

Luas Red Line services were suspended between Smithfield and Connolly/the Point for a number of hours after the incident but full operations resumed shortly after midday.

There have been three previous fatalities involving a Luas tram since it began operation in 2004.

One took place on the Red Line on June 28th, 2012 when a pedestrian was fatally injured crossing on the west side of the Blackhorse stop.

On October 11th, 2011 a pedestrian was killed when struck by a tram after stepping off the footpath at Steevens Lane as the Red Line tram approached.

The other fatal incident took place in 2008.

Long Yang, a barman at T.P. Smiths on the corner where this morning’s incident took place, said collisions between cars and Luas trams have become a common occurrence. “This sort of thing happens a lot, I’ve seen a lot of crashes, but this is definitely the worst,” said Mr Yang. “I’ve seen three or four crashes in the last couple of years, and they’re just the ones which have happened while I’ve been working.”

Edina, who works in a nearby coffee shop and who refused to give her surname, said she heard a screech of brakes and two loud bangs when the collision took place this morning. She said passengers on the Luas waited for about five minutes before they were removed by transport authorities.

Like Mr Yang, she said she wasn’t surprised to hear there had been a collision. However, she was shocked to hear a woman had been killed.

“I just thought, oh it’s crashed again, the usual sound. In the last few months it’s happened a lot. One week there were two crashes.”

There were 24 road traffic incidents involving a Luas in 2012 and seven incidents involving contact between a person and a Luas.