Man (40s) released in probe into Creeslough service station explosion

Sat, 13 Sep, 2025 - 08:16

By Jonathan McCambridge, PA

A man arrested by gardaí investigating an explosion at a service station in Co Donegal that killed 10 people has been released without charge.

Four men, three women and three young people, aged between five and 59, died in the blast on the afternoon of October 7th, 2022, in the village of Creeslough.

A man in his 40s was arrested on Friday for alleged offences contrary to the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997.

After his release, gardaí said a file will be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Explosion at Donegal service station — The victims: Leona Harper, Robert Garwe, Shauna Flanagan Garwe, Jessica Gallagher, James O’Flaherty, Martina Martin, Hugh Kelly, Catherine O’Donnell, James Monaghan and Martin McGill. Photo: An Garda Síochána/PA

The investigation into the explosion, which ripped through the service station and an apartment block, is being co-ordinated from Milford Garda Station, where an incident room is in operation.

The inquiry is being led by local gardaí, supported by agencies including the Health and Safety Authority.

The 10 victims were Robert Garwe and his five-year-old daughter Shauna Flanagan-Garwe, Catherine O’Donnell and her 13-year-old son James Monaghan, fashion student Jessica Gallagher, Celtic fan Martin McGill, James O’Flaherty from Sydney, Australia, shop worker Martina Martin, carpenter Hugh “Hughie” Kelly and 14-year-old Leona Harper.