A three-year-old boy has died after becoming trapped in a lift.

Gardaí were called to the scene at the Hynes Building on St Augustine’s Street in Galway city centre at about 3pm after the child became stuck.

It is understood no one else was trapped with the youngster.

He had been in the building with his siblings and his mother, who is originally from Nigeria but has been living in the city for a few years, when the accident happened.

Gardai, the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) and building management are to carry out investigations into the cause of the incident.

Investigations centre on whether the boy may have crawled into a gap below the lift floor as it came a stop.

Local gardaí, fire crews and ambulance and paramedic staff were called to the scene where the boy was pronounced dead and his body was removed to University Hospital Galway where a post-mortem examination was to be carried out.

The Hynes Building was closed to allow for full investigations with inspectors from the HSA and gardaí examining the scene tonight.

It houses a number of offices including some of the city’s Department of Social Protection divisions and staff, and is home to the regional RTÉ office.