Gas station explosion, at least 10 dead

Donegal explosion: Young girl and two teenagers among 10 confirmed dead in Creeslough tragedy – Independent

An explosion at a gas station in Ireland killed ten people, including two teenagers and a young child.

The blast in Donegal killed four men, three women, a teen boy, a teen girl, and an elementary-aged girl, according to Irish police.

The explosion took place in County Donegal shortly after 3 p.m. local time on Friday at Applegreen petrol station, just outside Creeslough.

Emergency responders from Ireland and Northern Ireland conducted a “search and recovery” operation on Saturday. On Saturday, dogs were brought in to search the debris, and an excavator removed piles of rubble.

Along with the gas station, which is the village’s main store and post office, there was also damage to an adjacent apartment building and shattered windows in nearby homes.

A police report says no one remains missing after Friday’s explosion in Creeslough, County Donegal.

“This is a tragedy for our community,” Superintendent David Kelly said. “My sincere condolences are extended on behalf of myself and my colleagues who attended the scene.”

Micheal Martin, the Irish Prime Minister, expressed his condolences. He said, “It is absolutely devastating and quite shocking in terms of the enormity of this tragedy, the scale of it. The explosion ripped through a community, with people going to the shop, the normal toing and froing of life. It is our community that defines us, and we are witnessing a terrible tragedy in a wonderful community.

The cause of the blast is under investigation and authorities have not reported a cause yet, but Superintendent David Kelly said evidence points to a “tragic accident.”