Creeslough farmers are praised for their rescue efforts in aftermath of petrol station explosion

Farmers and tradesmen have been praised for their rescue efforts in the aftermath of an explosion that tragically killed 10 people in Creeslough, County Donegal, last Friday.
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Members of the close-knit community rallied to save those caught up in the explosion, which occurred at a service station on Friday afternoon.

Local tradesmen and farmers used equipment and machinery to dig their way through the rubble, with other residents forming a 'human chain' to help remove debris and clear a pathway for the emergency services.

Tributes have been paid to the 10 victims, Shauna Flanagan Garwe and Robert Garwe, Catherine O'Donnell and James Monaghan, Leona Harper, Jessica Gallagher, James O'Flaherty, Martin McGill. Martina Martin and Hugh Kelly, with the youngest, Shauna, just five years old.

CREESLOUGH, IRELAND - OCTOBER 08: Emergency services continue their work at the scene of the Applegreen service station explosion on October 8, 2022 in Creeslough, Ireland. The explosion destroyed the service station and part of an adjacent apartment building. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)CREESLOUGH, IRELAND - OCTOBER 08: Emergency services continue their work at the scene of the Applegreen service station explosion on October 8, 2022 in Creeslough, Ireland. The explosion destroyed the service station and part of an adjacent apartment building. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)
CREESLOUGH, IRELAND - OCTOBER 08: Emergency services continue their work at the scene of the Applegreen service station explosion on October 8, 2022 in Creeslough, Ireland. The explosion destroyed the service station and part of an adjacent apartment building. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

Speaking to Radio Ulster earlier today, Senator Niall Blaney, Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Northern Ireland, praised the skills of Creeslough's farmers.

“It was absolutely incredible,” he told the BBC.

“The emergency services are still struck by the enormity of the help and the skill of the local farmers and work force and neighbours and friends that pitched in and got involved with them because they wouldn't have got through it as quickly without them.

“I suppose, in other places, you would see people being told to get back but there was quick realisation of the skill set in this area and it was a great, incredible effort by all concerned.”

He continued: “I want to thank the emergency services for realising that - it was an incredible effort.

“I also want to thank the emergency services from Northern Ireland that helped, and all those sending wishes from Northern Ireland.”

Sen Blaney said the local community would move on from this tragedy “a very troubled people”.

“This is going to be a very difficult thing to get over. It's going to take an awful long time for that mourning process to take place.”

He described Creeslough, which has a population of around 400, as having a very close-knit community who will “look out for each other” in the days and months ahead.

A Creeslough Community Support Fund has been established by the Irish Red Cross, in collaboration with An Post and Applegreen, to provide rapid and long-term assistance to the Cleeslough community.

You can donate to the Creeslough Community Support Fund here.

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