Unplanned explosion

Ireland's Health and Safety Authority is currently investigating an incident in which a member of the Garda Siochana (police) and two employees of the UK-based company AMCO - the site agent and the driller - were injured following the unplanned initiation of explosives at a motorway development in Dublin last month. Two of the men suffered perforated eardrums and the other was struck by flying particles.

It is understood the explosion occurred when surplus explosives from a loaded blast were disposed of in a manner that was not in accordance with the suppliers recommendations.

Detonation caused substantial damage to nearby property and sent debris, including a tree stump, over 150m towards a heavily populated area. Fortunately, no members of the public suffered serious injury in the incident.

The motorway development is regarded as a quarry under Section 3 (2) of the Mines and Quarries Act 1965 because the excavations were made for the purpose of, or in connection with, the obtaining of minerals which were then crushed and used as road fill or sold to other sites.