Race to free people trapped after explosion at Irish service station

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Irish emergency services are digging for people trapped in debris after a large explosion destroyed a service station and damaged apartments, causing multiple injuries.

Helicopters airlifted survivors from the scene on Friday night hours after a blast wrecked an Applegreen forecourt and adjacent homes and retail outlets outside the village of Creeslough in County Donegal, near Ireland‘s northwestern tip.

The explosion at approximately 3.15pm was heard several miles away. It collapsed the roof of two-storey apartments and blanketed the forecourt in rubble and glass. The site includes a petrol station, shop, deli counter and post office. RTE reported that up to 30 people may have been injured.

Police sealed off the area while fire crews, ambulances and helicopters extracted and transported wounded to a hospital at Letterkenny, 15 miles away. Nightlights illuminated the scene as digging equipment combed through the rubble.

The coast guard set up a landing zone in the Phoenix Park in Dublin. A specialist rescue team from the Northern Ireland fire service crossed the border to help search for survivors.

Relatives of people believed to have been at the service station gathered at the scene. “Everybody is holding on hoping they can make contact with their loved ones,” Pearse Doherty, a Sinn F?in member of parliament, told RTE. “It is very sombre, there’s silent prayers being said, there are people still trapped within the building and the emergency services are doing everything they can to remove the rubble,” he added.

Doherty said people were airlifted to regional hospitals. “This is something that’s your worst nightmare. This is a dark, dark cloud for the entire community. This is a very busy locality near the shop and 3pm is a busy time. People are collecting their pensions and kids are just finishing school. It’s surreal and people are holding on for hope, to hear positive news coming from emergency services.”

Letterkenny University hospital implemented a major emergency protocol and said it was treating multiple people requiring immediate attention.

A community hall in Creeslough provided shelter for people whose homes were damaged and who were waiting for news of loved ones.

John O’Donnell, an independent councillor, told BBC Radio Ulster he had been told the explosion had been caused by gas and had seriously injured many people. “Everybody is very taken aback and devastated at what is happening. It is something that we haven’t seen in the area in my lifetime. It’s very traumatising for everybody.”