Pitched battle at Limerick petrol pumps sees man hospitalised

GARDAI are investigating a pitched battle that broke out on the forecourt of a busy filling station on the main Limerick to Cork road.

One man was hospitalised following the incident involving a number of men at the petrol station at O’Rourke’s Cross, Bruree on Saturday afternoon shortly after 5pm.

The business premises had to be closed for a number of hours.

Footage of the incident, which has been shared on social media, shows a man running into the shop to escape from an assailant chasing him.

He barricades himself inside the store by holding the door closed when the glass is smashed by a man who appears to be wearing a balaclava.

Outside on the forecourt, a number of males wearing luminous neon T-shirts can be seen fighting while a bare-chested man looks on. A staff member can be seen running into the shop for safety.

Two women, also wearing brightly-coloured clothing, can be seen fleeing from the chaos on the forecourt.

A garda spokesperson confirmed gardaí are investigating an incident of assault and criminal damage which occurred at a filling station in Bruree on Saturday, June 1.

There was a heavy garda presence at the location for a number of hours.

“A man aged in his 40s was taken to hospital to be treated for non-life threatening injuries. Investigations are ongoing,” said the garda spokesperson.

It is not known what sparked the violent scenes but one school of thought is that they are feuding families who both pulled in to get fuel at the same time.

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“Whatever the reason for it, it was absolutely disgraceful carry-on,” said one local who spoke to the Limerick Leader.

“It’s a very popular and busy filling station – an innocent member of the public could easily have been caught up in that mayhem.

“This was around 5pm on the sunniest day of the year and they are carrying on like that in a busy place. It’s disgraceful behaviour and they’d want to take a good, long look at themselves in the mirror.

“To think an elderly person who had pulled in to get some 99s for their grandchildren had to witness that. And for the poor staff to have to experience it. It’s absolutely shocking. The shop was closed for a number of hours too so the owner is out of pocket all because of these hooligans,” he said.