WCFS Raise Concerns Over 'Ghoulish Trend' Of People Filming Accident Scenes

Waterford City Fire Service (WCFS) has raised concerns over an "ongoing trend" for bystanders to try and photograph or film incidents they are attending.

The fire services said that an incident in Manor Street on Tuesday, in which a two-year-old child died, prompted them to raise their concerns and ask people to consider their actions.

A post on their Facebook page states: "We walk a straight line on this page, trying not to criticise or condemn but following yesterday's tragedy in Manor street it's time to weigh in on this.

"The crew at the scene were astounded by the number of people trying to capture the incident on their phones.

"This has been an ongoing trend for a number of years now, never better illustrated than at an RTA not too long ago where a man (in his thirties, not a teenager) crept up, phone poised and recording, to within ten feet or so of a car where we were trying to extricate the driver while the ambulance crew were treating him. The driver died en route to hospital.

"Why do people do this? It's ghoulish, thoughtless and extremely distasteful. We could fill this page with photos of the injured and dead that we see. But we don't. Sometimes it's enough to know that horrible things happen without having to see them.

"Most obviously there's the matter of respect for the dignity of the people involved and the desire of paramount importance to not add to the grief and anguish felt by their families and friends. So if you know somebody who considers this kind of thing alright ask them to think about it just a little more."

(MH/JP)