Nevin Spence death: Rugby player who died in a slurry pit was trying to save father

September 17th, 2012

FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda

Nevin Spence, 22, and brother Graham were overcome by fumes as they tried to rescue their father Noel on farm in Co. Down, Northern Ireland
Sister Emma, who also got into difficulty, was trying to save them when she was overcome by fumes
A book of condolence is to be opened today at Ulster Rugby’s Ravenhill ground in Belfast
Family: ‘The three men were very close to each
other in life, and that love was expressed in their final moments trying
to help one another’
Sportsmen Rory McIlroy and Barry McGuigan pay tribute to the rugby player
Northern Ireland First Minister Peter Robinson ‘deeply saddened’ by tragedy
Spence played for Ulster and represented Ireland at under-20 level
Ulster Rugby: ‘Nevin was a wonderful player but also a wonderful person’

By
Liz Hull

PUBLISHED:

16:05 EST, 15 September 2012

|

UPDATED:

10:27 EST, 17 September 2012

The sister of a rising rugby star killed with his father and brother in a slurry tank accident has been released from hospital.

Emma Spence, the sister of Ulster Rugby’s Nevin Spence, dived into the manure container, on the family farm in Hillsborough, Co Down, in a bid to help her father and two brothers after they fell in.

But all four were overcome by the poisonous fumes and were unconscious by the time rescuers arrived to pull them out.

Ms Spence, an acclaimed artist, was
discharged from Belfast’s Royal Victoria Hospital last night as relatives revealed that the three
men died trying to save each other.

Nevin, 22, who was tipped as a future
international, died along with his father Noel, 52, and brother Graham,
30, who also went into the tank on the family farm at around 6pm on Saturday night.

Scroll down for video

Hospitalised: Nevin Spence’s sister Emma, pictured at her art studio on the family farm, was treated for inhaling fumes from the slurry pit

A book of condolence is to be opened today at Ulster Rugby’s Ravenhill ground in Belfast, already the site of floral tributes, while the team’s RaboDirect PRO12 game on Friday in Italy against Zebre looks set to be postponed.

Ulster Rugby chief executive Shane Logan said: ‘It will almost certainly be postponed.’

Funeral arrangements have yet to be finalised.

There is widespread shock at the devastating blow to the remaining family members, Essie Spence and her daughter, Laura.

Shock: Professional rugby player Nevin Spence died along with his father and brother after falling into a slurry pit on the family farm

Last night the grieving relatives said: ‘The families of Noel, Graham and Nevin Spence are trying very hard to come to terms with their tragic loss.

‘The three men were very close to each other in life, and that love was expressed in their final moments trying to help one another.’

They added: ‘The family is being supported and comforted by other family members, friends and neighbours.

‘Arrangements for a thanksgiving service for the three are currently under way and details will appear in the press in due course.’

Tragedy: Large numbers of emergency service vehicles attended the farm

Rescue effort: Firefighters attend the farm near Hillsborough, Co. Down, where the tragedy happened

The tragedy is thought to have occurred after Nevin’s father Noel went into the tank to try to retrieve the family dog.

When they realised he was in trouble,
his three children tried to pull their father out, but were quickly
overcome by fumes from the slurry, a combination of cow manure and water
which is stored in vast tanks until it is ready to be used as
fertiliser.

Firefighters were called to the family
farm, outside Hillsborough in County Down, Northern Ireland, shortly
after 6pm on Saturday.

Shrine: A man places a tribute to rugby player Nevin Spence at Ulster’s Ravenhill rugby ground in Belfast

Remembrance: Floral tributes to rugby player Nevin Spence are affixed to a fence at the ground

Wearing masks to protect themselves
against the fumes, they dived into the tank and managed to pull all four
out unconscious but alive.

However, two of the men were
pronounced dead at the scene while the third responded to treatment but
died shortly after arriving at hospital.

Disbelief: Fans left tributes at the Ulster rugby ground as they tried to come to terms with the deaths

Last night sports stars, friends and
colleagues paid tribute to Nevin, who played professional rugby union
for Ulster, and offered their condolences to his mother, Essie, 61, and
other sister, Laura, 26.

The Health and Safety Executive of Northern Ireland confirmed it was investigating the deaths.

Three other people have died on Northern Ireland farms from slurry gas over the past ten years.

Slurry pits emit poisonous gases such as hydrogen sulphide and ammonia, so can be dangerous if not ventilated properly.

The former, a poison which attacks the
nervous system, is particularly dangerous as it disables the sense of
smell – meaning the victim cannot sense how concentrated it is.

Named Young Player of the Year at the
Irish Rugby Union Players’ Association Awards last year, Nevin was a
member of the Ulster Rugby squad that reached the European Heineken Cup
final last season.

He could play on the wing or as a centre and was considered a future Ireland international.

The committed Christian played for Ulster Ravens, Ulster’s second team, against Munster A on Friday.

He had represented Ireland at under-20
level and was called to the Ireland training squad for the Six Nations
last year. In May he was selected for the Ireland squad ahead of a match
against the Barbarians, a touring team made up of top players from
across the world.

At Ulster’s home stadium of Ravenhill, in Belfast, floral tributes were laid and his former colleagues were visibly shaken.

The club’s chief executive, Shane
Logan, said Nevin was ‘a man of absolute integrity, complete
determination, great humility, a fine team player, and an all-round
exceptional individual’, adding: ‘I am deeply saddened by this tragic
news.

Press conference: Ulster rugby officals, chief executive Shane Logan (left) and director of rugby David Humphreys, answer questions about the death of star player Nevin Spence

Major operation: Emergency services were still at the scene near Hillsborough, Co. Down, as night fell

Grim: Rescue workers at the scene. Two bodies were recovered from the slurry tank and a third man died shortly after arriving in hospital. At least one firefighter dived into the tank to try to save them

Scene: The family home on the farm where Nevin Spence, his brother Graham and father Noel fell into a slurry tank

Emergency: Rescue teams were called to the farm, on the outskirts of Hillsborough, Co. Down, shortly after 6pm on Saturday

‘Nevin was a wonderful player but also
a wonderful person. He was well-liked by everyone who knew him and his
loss will be deeply felt by his teammates and everyone at Ulster
Rugby.’

Promising: Nevin Spence had a bright future ahead of him as a professional rugby player

Former Ulster team-mate Ian Humphreys
said on Twitter: ‘Devastated to hear the news about Nevin Spence and his
brother and dad. Prayers with all his family. RIP Nev, you’ll never be
forgotten.’

Irish Rugby Football Union president
Billy Glynn said Nevin was an ‘outstanding’ young player and the game
had been ‘robbed’ of a very talented young man.

Other Northern Ireland sports stars also paid tribute.

Former world champion boxer Barry McGuigan tweeted: ‘My deepest heartfelt sympathy to his family.’

Rory McIlroy, the world’s No.1 golfer,
wrote on Twitter: ‘Just heard the tragic news of Nevin Spence and his
family. Makes you cherish every day you have on this Earth.’

In a joint statement, Northern
Ireland’s First Minister Peter Robinson and deputy First Minister Martin
McGuinness said the accident was ‘a terrible reminder to us all of the
dangers of farming life’.

They added: ‘Nevin was a rising star of local rugby and… his untimely death is a blow for the game in the province.’

Harry Sinclair, president of the
Ulster Farmers’ Union, said: ‘On behalf of all our members, I would like
to extend our deepest sympathies to the family involved.’

Stunned: Golfer Rory McIlroy (left) and snooker player Mark Allen (right) led tributes to Nevin Spence

Reaction: Rory McIlroy told his followers on Twitter that the tragedy ‘makes you cherish every day you have on this Earth’

‘Heartfelt sympathy’: Boxer Barry McGuigan offered his condolences to the Spence family

Missed: Rugby stars past and present have paid tribute to Nevin Spence and his family

VIDEO: Tributes paid to young rugby star…

The comments below have been moderated in advance.

Newest
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A true inspiration until the very end. RIP.

–

James
,

Durham, United Kingdom,
17/9/2012 14:22

my thoughts are with you in this sad time.
this is just tragic and sad.

–

Chris
,

Belfast,
17/9/2012 14:11

A tragedy indeed and my condolensces to all those who were affected by this. Id like to add one observation though, this being one which seems apparent not only here but also in many similar cases. The number of emergency service vehicles seems excessive and this is an all too common occurence. Why the need for all these vehicles and the number of emergency personnel? Its almost as if they attend either because they want to be part of the tragedy or use up financial resources so they can request even more government funding the next year? With councils and services making cutbacks, surely they should be sending only the number necessary and not going overboard.

–

manich
,

newquay,
17/9/2012 13:59

Very tragic story, this lovely family lives up the road from my parents and they will be missed as they were such a big part of the community. May they all rest in peace x

–

Alex
,

East Sussex,
17/9/2012 13:27

RIP

–

paul
,

wilts, United Kingdom,
17/9/2012 13:03

Surely it is now time for farmers to fill in these horrid death traps before any more people or their animals die in such a tragic way. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE

–

Rob Fellows
,

Shropshire,
17/9/2012 12:37

This is ever so sad and such a tragic accident. R.I.P x

–

charlotte
,

leeds, United Kingdom,
17/9/2012 12:17

A family ripped apart, impossible to even comprehend. RIP Noel, Graham and Nevin x

–

Tiger
,

London,
17/9/2012 12:09

Poor mum and sis, I dont know how they will cope with this tragic loss, my prayers are with them

–

Anon
,

London,
17/9/2012 11:42

how awful!! And all for a dog…..what a tragic waste of life!!! Why are masks or breathing apparatus equipment not compulsory at all slurry tank locations??

–

John H
,

Bolton, United Kingdom,
17/9/2012 11:33

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