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Biker suspected of causing Dublin city centre explosion linked to gangland killer

CCTV of the serious collision captured the biker doing a wheelie on the north-inner city street before ploughing into a car

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Biker suspected of causing Dublin city centre explosion linked to gangland killer – SundayWorld.com

CCTV shows motorbike crash into van before fireball in Dublin city

Robin Schiller and Cian O’Broin

Today at 20:11

Detectives are hunting for the young associate of a gangland killer who is suspected to have caused an explosion after smashing his motorbike into a car in the city centre before fleeing the scene.

CCTV of the serious collision captured the biker doing a wheelie on the north-inner city street before ploughing into a car driving along the road, at around 1.30pm on Thursday.

The footage then shows the biker being flipped off the bike as it crashed into a parked van, which then exploded.

The driver then fled the scene before gardai arrived and is understood to have suffered injuries during the collision.

The motorcyclist crashed into the parked van near the junction of Gloucester Place and Seán McDermott Street Lower in the north inner city around 1.30pm, before making off on foot.

Fireball as motorbike smashes into van and rider flees in Dublin city centre

The motorbike then caught fire while lying in the middle of the busy road in the largely residential area, with the van too catching fire and then exploding when its fuel tank caught flame.

Sundayworld.com can reveal that the biker is believed to be a teenager from the north-inner city who is a very close associate of a convicted killer.

The killer also has connections to serious organised crime at a high level and has also been investigated in the past over a near fatal road crash.

He cannot be named as he is currently facing charges before the courts.

Gardaí were last night hunting for the killer’s juvenile associate in relation to the hit and run.

Photos and video from the scene show the aftermath of the dramatic incident with the burnt-out bike lying on the road and the scorched van beside it.

Dozens of gardaí and members of Dublin Fire Brigade rushed to the scene to put out the flames as the area was cordoned off.

A source said gardaí were “seconds too late” to catch the rider of the bike, who fled.

A garda spokesperson said: “Gardaí and emergency services attended the scene of a two-vehicle road traffic collision that occurred on Sean McDermott Street Lower, Dublin 1 at approximately 1:35pm this afternoon, Thursday 31st August 2023.”

“The road, which was closed for a period of time, has since reopened. Enquiries are ongoing,” the garda spokesperson added