Creeslough tragedy: Investigation bolstered by additional gardaí

Members of the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (NBCI) have travelled to Creeslough to aid the local investigation team into the explosion last Friday that killed 10 people and has left another person critical in hospital.

The NBCI is the force’s serious crimes squad and its involvement in the inquiry bolsters the investigative capacity locally as the Garda tries to establish what caused the explosion.

Other Garda investigators from the force’s Southern Region were aiding the inquiry, using expertise they gained from their investigation into the death of a woman from carbon monoxide poisoning in Cork hotel over a decade ago.

Garda sources stressed they had no evidence whatever of any foul play in relation to last Friday’s explosion. They added the decision to include the NBCI team and the Cork-based investigators in the Creeslough inquiry had been made to ensure the Garda team in Donegal had additional expertise to examine all possible aspects of the case.

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Gardaí are also bring in blast experts from overseas to assist their inquiries. While investigators are keeping an open mind as they attempt to establish what happened, it is strongly suspected that a gas leak caused the explosion at a complex that housed an Applegreen service station, apartments and other businesses.

There were no obvious signs of fire or flame damage at the site, but Garda sources said this did not undermine the main line of inquiry, which has been focused on an accidental gas leak.

Tonnes of rubble and debris from the scene is being stored at a location outside the town awaiting examination.

Dozens of local contractors used tractors and trailers to take the debris from the service station and apartments which were hit by the explosion.

The debris contains many personal items including beds and other furniture as well as huge slabs of masonry.

A team of inspectors from the Health and Safety Authority has also been at the site.

Garda Superintendent Liam Geraghty said “the technical bureau will be on the scene in the coming days as well as other agencies and other sections within An Garda Síochána.

“That investigation will take a period of time and the investigation is there to investigate the cause.”

The immediate area around the centre of the blast has been contained and hanging debris removed using specialist equipment. However, the buildings hit by the explosion remained cordoned off.