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SIXTEEN pedestrians were killed and another 24 injured this evening in South Dublin after a large group of joggers lost control on the coast road between Blackrock and Monkstown.

Emergency services arrived on the scene at 6pm to find one of the worst running accidents the country has ever seen.

“Many of the emergency response team are being treated for shock, such was the carnage they witnessed,” Garda Tadgh Holden told WWN, “Not only that, but the group of joggers destroyed several buildings in the crash. Two dogs were also killed”.

It is believed the joggers lost control after trying to avoid a street bin, swerving before then losing control of the back end of the group.

“We understand the back end of the group then collided with oncoming pedestrians, knocking them down like skittles, before colliding with a number of houses situated on the side of the busy road,” added Holden, “Several joggers had to be cut out of the buildings by the fire brigade”.

The latest incident has yet again brought up the question about dangerously large groups running together on the footpaths and roads, with already 78 people being killed in jogger crashes so far this year.

“They have no brakes, no lights and zero respect for the people walking on the footpaths,” voiced local man Derek O’Casey, “I’ve been warning people for years about this. Now look what happened. Hopefully something will be done about it now”.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny later offered his condolences to the victims of today’s crash, and promised to introduce a ban on jogging on public walkways and roads. He then proposed a nationwide footpath tax from 2017 for anyone wishing to use them, and discussed the possibility of walking licences being introduced next year.