Emergency services are dealing with a four-vehicle road traffic collision which has closed the on the M18 motorway in Clare this morning.
An earlier incident on the same route was cleared however a more serious collision a short distance away could see the motorway closed for several hours yet.
The first collision was reported shortly after 7.30am on the southbound carriage of the M18 at junction 10 (Newmarket on Fergus).
Gardaí, National Ambulance Service paramedics and units of Clare County Fire and Rescue Service from Shannon and Ennis stations responded to that scene.
Two cars were involved in the incident but no injuries have been reported. Two children in the rear of one of the cars were assessed by ambulance paramedics but were found to be unhurt.
While fire crews from Shannon were responding to the first incident they came upon the second crash. Aware there were no casualties reported at the firs the scene, crew stopped to deal with the second more serious crash just beyond junction 11 (Dromoland) also in the southbound lanes.
Other responding resources continued to the original less serious incident and once that scene had been cleared and made safe, all resources were diverted to the second collision.
Four cars in all were involved in the more serious collision with three people being taken to hospital for treatment. Their injuries are not believed to be serious.
The M18 remains closed at junction 11 and traffic is being diverted away from the area. Any traffic that got caught up at the second crash were later allowed safely past but all other vehicles were diverted off the route at junction 11 via Newmarket on Fergus.
This resulted in a tailback of over three kilometres from Newmarket on Fergus to Latoon. Later, a second diversion route was established via Ballygirreen and Shannon to ease the traffic travelling through Newmarket on Fergus.
While southbound traffic is currently being diverted off the motorway at junction 11 motorists are advised to take an alternative as there is a significant build-up of traffic back along the M18 from junction 11.
A Garda spokesperson said: “Gardaí and emergency services are currently at the scene of a multiple vehicle road traffic collision near Junction 11 on the M18 motorway.
As this is an ongoing incident, no further information is available at this time.”
Live Updates…
8.59am – Traffic that has diverted through Clarecastle and onto Latoon is not being diverted via Ballygirreen and Shannon. Motorists are not being allowed across the flyover at junction 11 for now.
8.45am – The traffic that got caught up behind the second collision at Dromoland is slowly being allowed past the scene via the hard shoulder.
Traffic is still being diverted off the motorway at junction 11 but there is still significant backlog on the M18.
Traffic is also backed up from Newmarket on Fergus to Dromoland and moving very slowly.
Motorists are advised to take an alternative route possibly via Quin and Sixmilebridge.
8.40am – The road traffic collision at junction 10 (Newmarket on Fergus) has not been cleared.
Earlier: Emergency services are dealing with two road rush-hour traffic collisions on the M18 motorway in Clare this morning.
The first incident was reported shortly after 7.30am on the southbound carriage of the junction 10 (Newmarket on Fergus).
Gardaí, National Ambulance Service paramedics and units of Clare County Fire and Rescue Service from Shannon and Ennis stations responded to that.
As the first response crews were arriving at that incident, and others were still making their way to the scene, they were alerted to a second more serious collision just beyond junction 11 (Dromoland) also in the southbound lanes.
Those resources that had already reached the first scene proceeded to deal with that while others were rerouted to the second call. Some fire crews have since been diverted from the junction 10 scene to the collision at Dromoland.
While efforts are underway to clear the first scene it’s understood it could take some time to remove all the vehicles after the second incident.
Southbound traffic is currently being diverted off the motorway at junction 11. Motorists are advised to take an alternative as there is a significant build-up of traffic on the old Ennis to Newmarket on Fergus road as a result.
Further details are not yet available…
