Update:
19.00 – The N68 is now clear and fully reopened.
18.30 – Truck now removed from scene. Clean-up operation underway.
17.45 – The N68 has been closed at the scene to facilitate the removal of the truck.
Earlier:
A section of road of one of Clare’s busiest roads had to be closed for a time today while traffic was reduced to a single lane for almost six hours, after a truck left the road.
The truck slipped off the road into the ditch on the N68 Ennis to Kilrush at Crag about 6 kilometres west of Lissycasey. The vehicle was only prevented from overturning into a field by the high ditch.
The delivery truck, which was carrying a consignment of alcohol, was travelling along the N68 towards Kilrush in west Clare when it left the road.
Gardaí responded to the scene and quickly set up traffic control measures operating a stop/go system with just one lane passable.
CLARE: Stop/go system on N68 Ennis/Kilrush Rd approx. 6km west of Lissycasey due to the truck in the ditch there. https://t.co/qvBPcgxUj8
— AA Ireland (@aaroadwatch) December 15, 2016
Three units of the fire service from Kilrush were requested to attend about an hour later.
About two hours after the truck left the road, another lorry was brought in to remove the stranded vehicles cargo of booze.
While traffic had been reduced to a single land immediately after the incident, the road had to be closed for over an hour as crates of alcohol had to be removed, repacked and loaded onto the second lorry. Members of the fire service from Kilrush assisted with the effort.
By 2.30pm, the contents of the lorry had been transferred to the second vehicle however it was still several hours before the truck was successfully removed from the ditch.