The Sun, 23 May 2006
Jumbo hold-up on road
The M50 became a trunk road at the weekend when two elephants had to be freed from a burning circus trailer. Stunned drivers looked on as gardai and rescue teams led the beasts to safety on the main road from Dublin to Belfast.
And the elephants are sure to never forget the drama after they were rescued from a Circus Vegas truck. The circus convoy was travelling to Belfast when the truck’s brake drums overheated and caused the airbags to explode.
Fire crews rushed to the scene fearing a jumbo fire but the animals were unhurt. A Garda spokesman said: “The elephants got out uninjured and were put onto a nearby green for a while.”
The elephants were later collected by another trailer on Sunday night and taken back to Ballyfermot in Dublin.
A member of Circus Vegas explained: “When there is livestock involved you have to call the fire brigade. Our trucks have air bags on the brake drums. If the drum overheats, the air bag will explode stopping the truck and avoiding a serious fire.”