BREAKING: Parents and children trapped in car amid 'blizzard-like' conditions in Limerick

A FAMILY were stuck for an hour in blizzard-like conditions on a rural road in county Limerick at 4am this Sunday morning.

The mum and dad and two young children were travelling at Ballynarooga, Ballingarry when their vehicle became stuck in the snow.

A report was made to Limerick Fire and Rescue Service at 3.57am. Two units from Rathkeale immediately responded but due to the treacherous road conditions it took them around an hour to reach the stricken vehicle.

Firefighters rescued the family who had been stuck in the car in the pitch black.

Firefighters didn’t get back to base in Rathkeale until 7.26am - some two and a half hours later - which again shows how bad the rural roads were.  

READ ALSO: ALERT: Weather warning extended amid threat of further falls of sleet and snow in Limerick

Cllr John O’Donoghue, who is from Ballingarry, said he couldn’t thank our first responders enough - firefighters, An Garda Siochona, ambulance and health care workers, outdoor council staff, ESB emergency crews and all working during the Status Orange weather weather.

He said the road from Chawke's Cross to Ballingarry, along the side of Knockfierna, has a large accumulation of snow due to its elevation.

“It is not passable and the situation has deteriorated. The Main Street in Ballingarry is extremely tricky given that there is a steep slope from the church into the village and another from the junction up to through the village heading for O’Grady’s shop,” said Cllr O’Donoghue.

The latest update from Limerick City and County Council on social media says the Status Orange Snow/Ice warning for Munster is in place until 8pm.

“Heavy accumulations of snow impacting many roads across the county creating hazardous driving conditions. Severe wintry conditions forecast for the coming days,” read the post.

READ ALSO: Over 10,000 homes without power in snow-covered Limerick

An earlier post from the council said there are heavy snow accumulations on many roads with ploughs and gritters working around the clock.

“Limerick Fire and Rescue Service were called to a number of incidents overnight where people's vehicles had broken down or become stuck,” read the post.