Young father killed in quarry accident yesterday was working just miles from his home in Wexford

A young father who was killed yesterday in a tragic quarry accident in Gorey was working just a matter of miles from his home when the incident happened.

The man has been named locally as Peter Byrne, a father of one who lived in Ballycanew with his partner and young child, just miles away from the site of the quarry.

It is understood that the accident occurred at about 3pm yesterday when the machine that Mr Byrne was operating was engulfed by thousands of tonnes of loose material that fell onto his machine. The search through the rubble took a number of hours before the body of the 45-year-old was found.

Another man was also injured in the incident.

Mr Byrne's remains were brought to University Hospital Waterford where a post mortem was due to take place.

A spokesman for the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) said an investigation by the organisation is underway. The scene has been preserved and will be examined by HSA inspectors today.