'It has broken the heart of our community': Creeslough grieves after explosion

Emergency services at the scene of the explosion. Picture: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

The heart has been torn out of Creeslough after yesterday's explosion, which has already claimed ten lives.

Local priest Fr John Joe Duffy said the devastation is unlike anything experienced in the area before.

"I am just worried as the days and weeks unfold. It's so surreal and unreal. It's just heartbreaking and terrible. It was like a fictional movie unfolding before our eyes," he said. 

"Nobody expected something like this. It has broken the heart of our community."

Fr Duffy confirmed he had spoken with the families who had lost loved ones in the tragedy which struck the village just after 3.15pm. 

He paid tribute to all those who helped in any way, especially the emergency services who remain at the scene.

He added "People responded immediately even before the emergency services arrived on the scene. They did what they could and you do what you can do in such horrific times.

"The emergency services then arrived and they have worked through the night and have been working thorugh what will be a very slow process. It's just heartbreaking."

Emergency services continue their work at the scene of an explosion at Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal. Picture: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

The Creeslough community will carry and support each other through a terrible grief and sadness beyond words, Fr John Joe Duffy told parishioners this Saturday morning.

Among those who were in the packed congregation at the mass was the chairman of the local St Michael's GAA Club, Liam McElhinney.

Mr McElhinney revealed how he was in the Applegreen Service Station just half an hour before the horrific explosion.

"I had left the shop at 2.30pm. It could easily have been me. It just wasn’t my time, I suppose.

"It is such a busy hub and it’s in shatters. We expect to see these type of things in other places, but not in our wee community in Creeslough. You see things like this on tv and you just don’t expect it to come to your own door. We are in total shock. It will take days, weeks, and maybe years to recover from this.

"The mood is very sombre, especially with young people involved. It is a very sad day for the community."

He revealed that there had been people selling lotto tickets for a local sports club who always sat outside the service station on a Friday afternoon but they had just left minutes before the explosion.

The scene itself remained one of utter devastation yesterday, the day after the explosion changed the lives of those in the village forever.

Waiting

A sense of waiting and confirmation hung in the air.

Local coffees shop including Huckleberry and The Coffee Pot opened their doors to emergency workers and locals.

Locals sat in hushed tones beside emergency workers who looked weary.

The manager of Letterkenny University Hospital, Sean Murphy, revealed how they were forced to discharge some patients on Friday to prepare for an expected rush of patients from the blast.

The hospital launched the Emergency Protocol Plan on Friday evening as news of the tragedy broke.

Mr Murphy thanked all those who cooperated and paid tribute to his staff and the emergency services.

He also confirmed that eight people including children were admitted to the hospital.

Some of the damage caused by the explosion. Picture: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

As well as their own ambulance personnel, private ambulance operators offered their services.

"As with all these emergency situations we see the best in our health service.

"We did have to discharge patients as we were not sure how many casualties we were going to receive but additional GPS were put in place and they remain in place today.

"We opened up a community assessment hub and additional nurses were also mobilised."

Mr Murphy confirmed among the casualties were children and some of those injured were relatives of staff members at the hospital.

"Yes, there were children admitted and families waited in the hospital to hear news and to find out if their loved ones had been brought to the hospital."

He added, "This morning we are thinking of all the families so tragically affected and I want to pay tribute to all those who help in any way and that includes the members of the public who were so understand and also the staff at the hospital.

"All we can do is to offer our condolences," he said.

It was 'horrific' watching it unfold

A coffee shop manager has spoken of her horror at hearing what she thought was a bomb going off when tragedy struck the village of Creeslough.

Siobhan Carr runs The Coffee Pot on the Wild Atlantic Campsite, just 100 yards form the scene of the Applegreen Service Station.

As she looks out her window she can see the debris and the gaping roof of the tumbled garage.

Siobhan described the moment she heard the blast which shook the village to its core.

She said, “We were just winding down for the day. There were a few people in the shop with us and we just heard a bang. Everyone just ran to see what they could do to help.

“Everyone just ran to see what happened. No one knew what had happened. People were just rushing around to see what they could do to help. The community here is so good and so close.

"I saw locals going in with bare hands to clear rubble. It was horrific just watching it unfold and hearing that people were trapped.

Along with the Huckleberry coffee shop at the opposite end of the village.

Both have been providing free refreshments for workers since the horrific incidents.

“We’re just trying to give whatever comfort we can. Even if it is just coming in to sit down.

"Throughout the night, people were coming in all the time.

"It is such a busy shop and it is such a busy area. We have people here at the campsite on a daily basis.

"We got to a stage where we had to turn food away. People have sent in stuff from other towns and villages. We have been inundated from people around the country."