Safety mesh installed along stretch where toddler fell in river
City council staff spent yesterday afternoon attaching the reinforced plastic mesh to the existing railings along St Patrick’s Quay yesterday to make the area safe.
A council spokesman said it was a short-term measure designed to make the area immediately safe pending a permanent solution.
It follows a near tragic incident last Friday when little Caleb Watters, aged three, fell through the existing railings, lost his footing and plunged up to 15ft into the Tiver Lee below close to Brian Boru bridge at lunchtime last Friday.
More details emerged yesterday of how the incident unfolded.
Eyewitnesses said young Caleb, who was walking with his au-pair, Anna, who was also pushing his 18-month-old sister, Lucia, in a buggy, went to press pedestrian crossing lights at the bridge junction before he appeared to slip or lose his footing, and fall through a gap in the quayside railings.
His momentum carried him towards the edge of the wharf inside the railings before he fell through a gap in the platform and plunged into the water below.
Emergency services said a tragedy was averted by the heroic actions of mother of 13, Maria Foley, from Cobh, who jumped into the water and saved him.
Ms Foley held Caleb’s head above the water, and placed him in a lifebuoy, which was thrown to her by other onlookers, while they waited for members of Cork City Fire Brigade’s swift water rescue team to arrive.
Ms Foley and Caleb were then hoisted to safety.
Caleb’s relieved parents, Adrianna and Alan, have described Ms Foley as their guardian angel.
They said they were still trying to process the incident, and were still in a state of shock.
However, they said they planned to highlight their safety concerns about the exposed quayside in time.
However, the city council moved yesterday to address the issue.
The new safety mesh has been attached to the existing railings with cable ties along the entire length of St Patrick’s Quay — from Brian Boru Bridge to St Patrick’s Bridge.
