Emergency Times understands that warning signs such as ‘Flooding Ahead’, ‘Road Closed’ and several bollards were removed from an approach road which were put in place to warn motorists of an impassable flooded road at Maganey, Co. Kildare.
Pic: (Kildare Fire Service at Three Counties)
The R417 is the main road between Athy, Co. Kildare and Carlow town and County Carlow. The area, known as the ‘Three Counties’ also serves as a route for Maganey and Castledermot in County Kildare and the communities of Barrowhouse and Ballylinan in County Laois.
Kildare County Council and Kildare Fire Service placed warning signs and bollards an the approach roads to the cross earlier this week as water from the river Barrow had flooded the entire road making it impassable.
Pic: Kildare Fire Service and Council staff at Three Counties)
EmergencyTimes.ie understands that the warning signs and bollards were removed between late on Thursday night and in the early hours of Friday morning. from the approach road on the Athy side. This is an area on a bad bend as you enter the floods.
A motorcycle was found lying in the floods on the Athy side yesterday morning. It has since been removed from the water, however, it is not yet clear if the motorcyclists was injured.
Meanwhile in Athy town centre, a similar incident occurred at the Courthouse at Emily Square in the town. Sandbags and flood defence materials which were placed at the historic Courthouse were taken from the entrance and doors of the courthouse and thrown into the floods and the river.
Athy Courthouse
Kildare Civil Defence had already placed a cordon around the area and placed sandbags at premises. They have since been replaced.
