Pensioner suffers serious burns in gas explosion

A PENSIONER is being treated in hospital for serious burns when his house was extensively damaged in a gas explosion in the Donegal Gaeltacht on Sunday night.

Emergency services were called to the scene in the Cluain Baire area of Falcarragh at about 10pm on Sunday after neighbours heard a loud explosion.

The injured man has been named locally as Conal McFadden, 68, a retired Donegal County Council lorry driver.

Gardaí were carrying out a forensic examination of the dormer-type bungalow yesterday, though the explosion is not thought to be suspicious.

Mr McFadden has been transferred from Letterkenny General to St James’s Hospital in Dublin, where he remains in a serious condition.

One neighbour said locals were still in shock following the “massive” explosion.

“We were in the kitchen of our house nearby having tea when we heard a massive explosion at around 9.50pm on Sunday night,” the woman explained.

“There was a massive loud bang followed by a huge ball of fire which spread about 200 yards away from the house.

“My son and other neighbours went to investigate and they found Conal lying on the ground outside the house. The house is completely destroyed.

“We are all completely in shock as nothing like this has ever happened in this area before.”

It is believed Mr McFadden lives in the house with his wife, who was away in Letterkenny at the time of the explosion.

Joe McTaggart of the Donegal Fire Service said tenders from three different stations in the area attended the scene of the explosion.

He said they believe a domestic gas cylinder was the source of the explosion, however, they have yet to determine the exact cause of the blast.