The explosion at a petrol station in County Donegal, Ireland, which killed ten people, was believed to be a “tragic accident”.
A police spokesman said on Saturday. However, the investigation is ongoing and a “holistic approach” is being taken to determine the cause. According to the police, no other people were missing and no further victims are expected.
After the incident on Friday afternoon in the small village of Creeslough, three people were said to have died. The figure was revised upwards several times over the course of Saturday. According to the police, four men, three women, two teenagers and a girl of primary school age were among the dead. Eight people are said to have been taken to hospital with injuries, one of them in critical condition.
The rescue workers, who rushed in in large numbers, were presented with a picture of the destruction. The gas station and several adjacent buildings were partially badly damaged, as can be seen in photos.
Ireland’s Prime Minister Michael Martin expressed his condolences to the relatives and those affected. Irish President Michael D. Higgins called the incident a “tragedy that comes as a terrible blow to a close-knit community where every loss and hurt is felt by everyone and far beyond.”
