Man dies in 'freak' work accident

Rory McMenamin had been travelling round Australia with his friends.

A 25-year-old County Donegal man has been killed in an accident in Australia.

Rory McMenamin from Newtowncunningham had been working at a tyre depot in the Sherwood area of Brisbane.

He was changing the inside tyre on a truck when it collapsed on top of him. He was rushed to hospital where he died from his injuries.

Friend Jim Devenney said the family were devastated "they can't actually believe it's happened to Rory."

Mr McMenamin had just qualified as an accountant and took a year out to travel round Australia with his friends.

Mr Devenney said Rory had years of experience with tyres through his father's business which made the "freak accident" even harder to accept.

"I was down with the family, they're just grief stricken, there's no way you can describe it."

"They do not know how to cope," he added.

"Such a loss, especially to happen so far away, they can't be there for him even when he died."

The family are currently liaising with the Irish authorities to make arrangements to bring the body home.