World

Donegal explosion: Seven people killed in petrol station blast as death toll rises

Seven people have now been confirmed dead after an explosion at a petrol station in Ireland.

The death toll rose overnight after the blast ripped through a service station and nearby buildings in County Donegal on Friday.

Police confirmed four more deaths on Saturday morning. Three people were known to have died the previous day.

“The search and recovery for further fatalities continues,” An Garda Siochana said in a statement.

The Irish premier said the death toll was “shocking” but he expected the number to rise even further.

Have you been affected by this story? Get in touch with zoe.tidman@independent.co.uk

Police said eight people were taken to hospital for medical treatment following the blast on Friday.

People in Ireland are “shocked and numbed” after the deadly explosion in the northwest, according to a local politician.

The explosion tore through Applegreen service station and convenience store in the village of Creeslough in County Donegal on Friday afternoon. Nearby buildings were also hit by the blast.

A major emergency response operation followed involving teams from both sides of the Irish border. It lasted through the night and emergency services continued to work at the scene on Saturday morning.

Sniffer dogs are being used amid the rubble.

Relatives of people believed to have been in buildings at the time of the explosion rushed to the scene on Friday.

At one point, all machinery was turned off and onlookers were asked to remain completely silent as rescue workers attempted to detect survivors beneath the debris.

The cause of the explosion has not been revealed.

Michael Martin, the Irish premier, said he expects the death toll to rise even further.

Emergency services rushed to the scene following the blast at the service station

He said seven confirmed deaths was a “shocking number” but added “there will be more”.

“It’s a search operation now and we hope and pray,” the premier said on Saturday. “It has been a very, very terrible 24 hours for them as news of this explosion arrived.

He added: “Many families will go through and are going through a terrible trauma right now and we have to rally around and I know the community will rally around, I know all the people in the vicinity of the community that will rally around.”

Mr Martin said the whole nation was in mourning for the people of Creeslough.

The explosion damaged nearby buildings

Police have updated the death toll for the explosion in County Donegal

Xural.com

Related Articles

Bir cavab yazın

Sizin e-poçt ünvanınız dərc edilməyəcəkdir. Gərəkli sahələr * ilə işarələnmişdir

Back to top button