Maria Theresa Soares was tragically killed in a car accident. The section of road where the accident took place, at the Roslea Junction on the Monaghan to Clones N54 road, was closed off soon afterwards Picture: Philip Fitzpatrick
IT is now thought that an oil spillage may have caused the accident which claimed the life of a 55-year old Portuguese woman, who lived in Roslea and was on her way to work in Monaghan.
Gardai are working on the theory that spillage was a factor in her death and in three other collisions in the same general area.
The deceased, Maria Fatima Soares, lived with her husband, Emmanuel in Ashvale housing estate in Roslea. Both were employed employed in the Mallon Sausage factory in Monaghan Town.
Mr Soares is a delivery driver for the firm and was told of his wife’s death while delivering in Roscommon.
The couple have one adult son who is based in Dublin.
The two-car collision, occurred at 7.50 on Wednesday morning last on a stretch of road between the Roslea Road junction with the Monaghan road and Monaghan Town. Mrs Soares was pronounced dead at the scene. The other driver, who was also in his 50s, was removed to Cavan hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
News of his Mrs Soares death shocked her work colleagues and, also, her neighbours in Ashvale estate.
One neighbour told the Herald he had been speaking to a former work colleague of Mrs Soares.
“She described her as a very bubbly and friendly person. To us, they were a private couple, but when we called to the house to express our sympathy, they were very friendly and they seemed to appreciate us calling.”
He said the couple had been living in the estate for the past 10-plus years and had settled in well.
“Their son told me that his parents were married for 35 years, and that they were very content. He said his mother had been driving for 25 years and had never had an accident up till this.”
In the immediate aftermath of the fatality, word got out about the three other road traffic collisions.
One of the collisions actually took place in Aghalisk. A car bring driven towards Monaghan was written off after leaving the road and hitting a tree. Its 29-year old driver, who was on his own at the time, was not seriously injured.
Just 15 minutes earlier, a woman in her 20s was injured when the car she was driving collided with a lorry.
And, two drivers, each travelling in the opposite direction, escaped unhurt when their vehicles collided close to the Roslea junction.
A Garda spokesman confirmed that the road in that general area was ’very greasy’ and was consistent with reports of oil spillage.
The road at Aghalisk remained closed on Wednesday evening to allow a forensic examination to take place. Employees from Cavan County Council later treated the road surface.
Gardai have appealed for witnesses to contact them at Monaghan Garda Station on 047 77200, The Garda Confidential Telephone Line 1 800 666 111 or any Garda Station.
Mrs Soares remains were returned to Portugal on Friday last, 30th October. She was a native of Porto, Portugal’s second largest city.
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