Rescue workers tonight said it was a miracle no one was seriously injured when a lorry ploughed into a row of cars outside a school as parents arrived to collect their children.
Around 80 adults and infants looked on in terror as the articulated truck lost control and hurtled through a wall into the pick-up area of Cregmore National School in Claregalway, Co Galway.
Parents and teachers pulled children out of the way and dived for cover as the huge vehicle crashed into 11 waiting cars - a number of which were written off.
School principal Joe Kennelly said four people, including a two-year-old boy, were taken to hospital with superficial injuries and shock.
“It was unreal, there was just mayhem,” he said.
“How no one was killed I just don’t know - somebody had to be watching over us.
“One of the fire brigade men said in his 25 years he’d never seen carnage like it and the fact that no one was hurt is nothing short of a miracle.”
The accident occurred at around 1.40pm as junior infants poured out of the building to go home.
The lorry, owned by a local haulage firm, collided with a car at a crossroads just outside the building before ploughing into a wall and striking the vehicles.
Three ambulances rushed to the scene while five tow trucks later removed the written-off cars.
Mr Kennelly said the lorry driver had been very shocked and upset after the accident.
“It’s not a blame day, it’s a thank God day,” he added.
“The children were traumatised but the teachers went into action and they were just brilliant and very caring.
“Tomorrow when the children come back they will be looked after and we’ll talk to them and make sure they’re ok about it.”
PA