A TRUCK driver made every possible effort to save the lives of two young men who were killed in Co Kerry last August, when the “powerful” car in which they were travelling crashed and burst into flames, an inquest yesterday into their deaths has heard.
There was “a trail of fire” along the N22 near Lawlor’s Cross, Killarney, after the crash at around midnight on August 13th, 2009.
Driver Tim Reidy (19), Kilcow, Castleisland, and his passenger Peter Galwey (21), Fahaduff, Castleisland, could only be identified through dental records, the inquest at Killarney courthouse heard. No drugs or alcohol were detected in either man.
Both men died instantaneously, and did not suffer, coroner Terence Casey assured their families.
Mr Casey said there was evidence that speed was a factor.
Truck driver Donie O’Sullivan, said the Vauxhall car overtook him around two miles from Killarney town on the N22. It was was going at around 80-100kms an hour. Afterwards, going around a bend just before Lawlor’s Cross he saw the car on fire He got a fire extinguisher from his truck and he tried to quench the fire. He ran back to his truck for a second extinguisher and heard an explosion.