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| Creeslough: Ten dead after Donegal petrol station explosion | Creeslough: Ten dead after Donegal petrol station explosion |
| (5 months later) | |
| The service station and an apartment block were ripped apart by the blast | The service station and an apartment block were ripped apart by the blast |
| Ten people have died after a huge explosion at a petrol station in the Republic of Ireland. | Ten people have died after a huge explosion at a petrol station in the Republic of Ireland. |
| Four men, three women, a teenage boy and girl and a younger girl were killed, said gardaí (Irish police). | Four men, three women, a teenage boy and girl and a younger girl were killed, said gardaí (Irish police). |
| The blast happened at the Applegreen service station in the County Donegal village of Creeslough on Friday. | The blast happened at the Applegreen service station in the County Donegal village of Creeslough on Friday. |
| It destroyed the building and a section of an apartment block, with police saying the evidence gathered so far suggested it was a tragic accident. | It destroyed the building and a section of an apartment block, with police saying the evidence gathered so far suggested it was a tragic accident. |
| Garda Supt David Kelly says it appears the explosion was a "tragic accident" | Garda Supt David Kelly says it appears the explosion was a "tragic accident" |
| Garda Supt David Kelly says it appears the explosion was a "tragic accident" | Garda Supt David Kelly says it appears the explosion was a "tragic accident" |
| Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Micheál Martin described the explosion as an "enormous trauma". | Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Micheál Martin described the explosion as an "enormous trauma". |
| "The entire nation is shocked at what has happened," he said during a visit to the scene on Saturday evening. | "The entire nation is shocked at what has happened," he said during a visit to the scene on Saturday evening. |
| Seven people who were hurt are in a stable condition in hospital in nearby Letterkenny. | Seven people who were hurt are in a stable condition in hospital in nearby Letterkenny. |
| This aerial view shows the extent of the damage at the service station | This aerial view shows the extent of the damage at the service station |
| Another person is critically ill in the burns unit of a hospital in Dublin. | Another person is critically ill in the burns unit of a hospital in Dublin. |
| Early on Saturday evening An Garda Síochána (the Irish police force) said a search and rescue operation had ended with no more causalities found. | Early on Saturday evening An Garda Síochána (the Irish police force) said a search and rescue operation had ended with no more causalities found. |
| Live: Vigil held for victims of petrol station blast | Live: Vigil held for victims of petrol station blast |
| Tight-knit community numbed and shattered | Tight-knit community numbed and shattered |
| Firefighters, paramedics and gardaí worked through Friday night in an attempt to find people trapped under the rubble | Firefighters, paramedics and gardaí worked through Friday night in an attempt to find people trapped under the rubble |
| Emergency service crews from Northern Ireland had been sent across the border to help their Irish counterparts deal with the aftermath of the blast. | Emergency service crews from Northern Ireland had been sent across the border to help their Irish counterparts deal with the aftermath of the blast. |
| The taoiseach described the rescue mission as a demonstration of "solidarity and community values". | The taoiseach described the rescue mission as a demonstration of "solidarity and community values". |
| 'Tsunami of grief' | 'Tsunami of grief' |
| Creeslough is a small village in the north-west of Ireland, about 15 miles (24km) from Letterkenny and 30 miles (48km) from the border with Northern Ireland. | Creeslough is a small village in the north-west of Ireland, about 15 miles (24km) from Letterkenny and 30 miles (48km) from the border with Northern Ireland. |
| It has a population of about 400 people. | It has a population of about 400 people. |
| Mass was held in the village church on Saturday morning, during which Father John Joe Duffy told the congregation their community had been hit by "a tsunami of grief". | Mass was held in the village church on Saturday morning, during which Father John Joe Duffy told the congregation their community had been hit by "a tsunami of grief". |
| Catholic Bishop Alan McGuckian described Friday as the "darkest day in Donegal". | Catholic Bishop Alan McGuckian described Friday as the "darkest day in Donegal". |
| "I have witnessed at first hand the immediate reaction of the local community to the tragedy who, in their bravery, took risks at the site to help others even to the detriment of their own safety," he said. | "I have witnessed at first hand the immediate reaction of the local community to the tragedy who, in their bravery, took risks at the site to help others even to the detriment of their own safety," he said. |
| People from the village gathered on Saturday morning to pray for those affected by the explosion | People from the village gathered on Saturday morning to pray for those affected by the explosion |
| At a service of remembrance on Saturday night he lit a candle for each of the victims of the explosion. | At a service of remembrance on Saturday night he lit a candle for each of the victims of the explosion. |
| UK Prime Minister Liz Truss sent her sympathy to the Donegal community "as they come together in their moment of grief", while Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer praised people who had "bravely [rushed] to the scene to help". | UK Prime Minister Liz Truss sent her sympathy to the Donegal community "as they come together in their moment of grief", while Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer praised people who had "bravely [rushed] to the scene to help". |
| 'They listened for signs of anyone trapped' | 'They listened for signs of anyone trapped' |
| A tragedy on this scale is really something this tight-knit rural community could never have imagined. | A tragedy on this scale is really something this tight-knit rural community could never have imagined. |
| There is such a sense of disbelief in Creeslough. | There is such a sense of disbelief in Creeslough. |
| All that is left of the shop and the flats above is a crumpled mess of rubble. | All that is left of the shop and the flats above is a crumpled mess of rubble. |
| The emergency services worked through the night. | The emergency services worked through the night. |
| At times they asked for complete silence around them while they listened for signs of anyone trapped. | At times they asked for complete silence around them while they listened for signs of anyone trapped. |
| The cause of the explosion is still not known, but police are working on the theory it was perhaps a gas explosion. | The cause of the explosion is still not known, but police are working on the theory it was perhaps a gas explosion. |
| Locals say it happened at a time when the shop would have been busy because local schools had just finished for the day. | Locals say it happened at a time when the shop would have been busy because local schools had just finished for the day. |
| Dr Paul Stewart, who has been a GP in Creeslough for 23 years, said the explosion reminded him of what he had witnessed growing up in Belfast during the Northern Ireland Troubles. | Dr Paul Stewart, who has been a GP in Creeslough for 23 years, said the explosion reminded him of what he had witnessed growing up in Belfast during the Northern Ireland Troubles. |
| "Three floors in the centre of the building just collapsed on those poor people who were maybe in buying a paper or getting a packet of crisps," he said. | "Three floors in the centre of the building just collapsed on those poor people who were maybe in buying a paper or getting a packet of crisps," he said. |
| "For me the work is beginning - it's mainly psychological help that people need now... it takes time and patience." | "For me the work is beginning - it's mainly psychological help that people need now... it takes time and patience." |
| Gardaí are not expecting any more casualties after the Creeslough explosion, says Supt Liam Geraghty | Gardaí are not expecting any more casualties after the Creeslough explosion, says Supt Liam Geraghty |
| Gardaí are not expecting any more casualties after the Creeslough explosion, says Supt Liam Geraghty | Gardaí are not expecting any more casualties after the Creeslough explosion, says Supt Liam Geraghty |
| Pearse Doherty, a Sinn Féin politician who represents the area, said the village "will be forever changed". | Pearse Doherty, a Sinn Féin politician who represents the area, said the village "will be forever changed". |
| "There are many people in this community that will see wakes and funerals... and that trauma is going to last a long time," he said. | "There are many people in this community that will see wakes and funerals... and that trauma is going to last a long time," he said. |
| Liam McElhinney, chairman of the Naomh Micheál Gaelic Athletic Association club in Creeslough, said it would "take a long time to get over" what had happened. | Liam McElhinney, chairman of the Naomh Micheál Gaelic Athletic Association club in Creeslough, said it would "take a long time to get over" what had happened. |
| "Some of the people that have died are known personally by myself and it's very hard to watch," he said. | "Some of the people that have died are known personally by myself and it's very hard to watch," he said. |
| "It could have been any of us... it's a massive thing to happen in our community." | "It could have been any of us... it's a massive thing to happen in our community." |
| Related Topics | |
| Republic of Ireland | |
| County Donegal |