A young girl suffered a traumatic injury that led to the loss of her eye, suspected to be caused by battery acid from a vape device caught in an open fire. Seven-year-old Ruby Grainger experienced the horrific incident while walking past a fire on the grass within her housing estate in Fortunestown, Dublin. Ruby’s mother, Ciara Grainger, shared her concerns about the frequent fires set by vandals in the area, with the incident leaving Ruby with severe bleeding from her right eye.
After the distressing event last Saturday, paramedics rushed Ruby to Tallaght Hospital, where doctors concluded that her eye was critically damaged. Emergency surgery at the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital resulted in the heartbreaking decision to remove Ruby’s eye due to the extensive injury sustained. The medical team described the damage as unprecedented from a fire-related incident, leading to the need for a prosthetic eye for Ruby in the future.
Ciara expressed her anguish over the life-altering impact on Ruby, emphasising the challenges they now face. The family awaits further surgeries and potential vision issues for Ruby’s remaining eye. Additionally, Ciara highlighted the unsafe environment in their housing estate, plagued by vandalism, fires, and anti-social behaviour, prompting her to seek a transfer to a safer location for her family.
The distressing incident has prompted support for Ruby and her family, with a fundraising campaign initiated to assist with healthcare costs. As they navigate the emotional and physical recovery process, Ciara emphasised the need for safer communities to prevent similar tragedies in the future, advocating for measures to address vandalism and anti-social behaviour that put children at risk.