Ten people have now been confirmed dead in an explosion that occurred in a petrol station explosion in Creeslough, Co.Donegal.
The team behind the local coffee shop in a village hit with tragedy has remained open and is tasking themselves with feeding first responders.
The Coffee Pod on Main Street is just kilometres away from the explosion that occurred at the Applegreen Service Station, on Friday, October 7th.
The cafe and gourmet sandwich shop is one of the few hospitality businesses in the small village.
Connected the Wild Atlantic Camp, a family glamping and camping site in the heart of Creeslough.
In a tweet, Zara King said that the business was “feeding and looking after all the frontline responders,” providing “soup, sandwiches, and hot drinks for those tasked with the difficult search and recovery operation.”
The team in the local coffee shop at the scene of the explosion in #Creeslough are feeding and looking after all the frontline responders.
Soup, sandwiches, and hot drinks for those tasked with the difficult search and recovery operation.
Remarkable kindness.@VirginMediaNews pic.twitter.com/DFAruKY5ud
— Zara King (@ZaraKing) October 8, 2022
The blast occurred at around 3.20pm on Friday (7 October) at the Applegreen Service Station in Creeslough.
At a briefing on Saturday afternoon, Gardaí confirmed that there have been 10 fatalities as a result of the explosion.
Among the 10 people were four men, three women, a male teenager, a female teenager and a female child.
Gardaí said that emergency services continue a search and recovery operation at the site of the blast on Saturday afternoon.
However, they added that, based on the information available, it is not expected at this time that there will be any further casualties located.
Gardaí also stated that there there are no outstanding reports of unaccounted-for persons.
During the briefing, Chief Ambulance Officer with HSE West JJ McGowan said that eight patients were transported from the scene on Friday, one of whom was in critical condition and further taken to a hospital in Dublin.
He stated that the other seven patients remain in stable condition at this time.
Our thoughts are very much with the community of #Creeslough after the tragic events of today.
We're also thinking of the first responders from all services that are working at the scene #Donegal pic.twitter.com/8dcRHeLU5W
— Dublin Fire Brigade (@DubFireBrigade) October 7, 2022
Meanwhile, Superintendent David Kelly of Milford Garda Station told the briefing:
“We have to keep an open mind as a police service in how we investigate this but our information at this point in time is pointing towards a tragic accident.
“That said, being a Garda, I have to take a holistic and overall viewpoint but that’s where we’re going at the moment.”
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