In what was a bizarre accident near Monaghan town center just before lunchtime on Thursday a man in his late 60’s in his black Mercedes car careered of the main road crashed through a ditch, hitting a number of vehicles on the way, and crashed into the front of the European Union House which, mercifully is unoccupied at present. The building had been opened by former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern a number of years ago in the boom times but now lies idle.

The emergency services, 2 ambulances Monaghan Fire Brigade and the Gardai rushed to scene and the man, who has been named locally as Father of 5 sons Peter Carbin from Ballinode near Scotstown was rescued from the car and put into an ambulance.

The timing of the accident was crucial according to a local fireman who said “ 5 minutes later at 1 0clock workers form the Credit Union and other shops in the Castle Meadow arcade would have been leaving for their lunch break and getting into their cars and the car park was full at the time. The large Mercedes was totally immersed into the building which was build about 10 years ago by a local developer.  There are apartments above the building but it was a miracle that  no  body else appears to have been injured in the tragedy.

Its believed Mr.Carbin, a well known former garage and filling station owner in Ballinode, may have taken ill as he passed through traffic lights on the Main N2 road and careered across the road and smashed in the building completely demolishing the façade of the European Union House.