Man (60s) arrested in connection with Creeslough explosion

Thu, 21 Nov, 2024 - 10:34

Eva Osborne

Gardaí investigating the 2022 Creeslough explosion have arrested a male, aged in his 60s.

The man is currently detained at a Garda station in the Garda North Western Region.

Gardaí said the investigation into the fatal explosion at a building complex in Creeslough, Co Donegal is ongoing, co-ordinated from Milford Garda Station where an Incident Room is established under the direction of a Garda Senior Investigating Officer.

The investigation continues to be led by local gardaí in Donegal Division, supported by the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (GNBCI) and other agencies including the Health & Safety Authority (HSA) and the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU).

Four men, three women and three children, ranging in age from five to 59, died in the blast that ripped through the Co Donegal village’s Applegreen service station and a nearby apartment block on Friday, October 7th, 2022.

Last month, the affected families met Helen McEntee at Government Buildings in Dublin as well as ministers Charlie McConalogue and Eamon Ryan.

Speaking after the meeting, which lasted an hour and a half, the families said the engagement was “very successful”.

Hugh Harper, whose 14-year-old daughter Leona was killed in the explosion, said the three ministers “took on board all our concerns” and that he felt “a step closer” to the truth.