Updated
Saturday, 9th 12.45pm – Further information in relation to this incident has emerged.
Several locals arrived at the scene to see if they could help those involved in the collision however the occupants had managed to free themselves from the vehicle. A local woman cared for them until emergency services arrived.
A young couple and their baby had a lucky escape after their car crashed and overturned near Newmarket on Fergus.
The single-vehicle collision happened at around 2.00pm at Ballycar on the R470 Newmarket-on-Fergus to Sixmilebridge road in Co Clare.
The car is understood to lost control, struck a wall and rolled over into a green area.
As the vehicle lay on its roof, with the young couple and baby trapped inside, smoke began to appear from the front the engine.
Garda Declan Fawl, based at nearby Newmarket-on-Fergus station, was first to arrive at the scene and jumped into action helping the occupants escaped through a rear door before a fire took hold.
Two units of the fire brigade from Shannon Town arrived at the incident soon afterwards and quickly extinguished the fire which was confined to the engine and had not spread into the vehicle.
All three were initially cared for by fire crews before they were taken into a local house for comfort. The National Ambulance Service (NAS) dispatched two ambulances to the scene.
All three were assessed by ambulance paramedics but were found to have been unhurt and not in need of hospitalisation.
A Garda spokesman confirmed: “Gardaí were alerted to a single-vehicle road traffic collision at Ballycar, Newmarket-on-Fergus and the local patrol car responded immediately.
Garda Declan Fawl discovered the car on its roof with smoke coming from the engine. A man, woman and young baby were still inside. He helped all three from the car through a rear door shortly before the car went on fire. Fortunately all three escaped injured.”
“We commend Garda Fawl for his bravery and quick actions and we are thankful that no-one was injured,” the spokesman added.