Ireland: At least three dead after an explosion at a gas station

Three people died after explosion that occurred at a service station in County Donegalas its police announced Ireland.

Sinn Féin MP Piers Doherty spoke about “catastrophic explosion” in “crowded location”.

The police are not making any case publicly about the causes of the disaster. In a statement released late at night, he said that he is not yet able to provide explanations or details, nor an account of the victims.

Injuries were taken to Letterkenny University Hospitalwhich announced that it activated protocol for a state of emergency, as well admitted several wounded in a very serious condition.

The explosion happened around 15:00 (local time) at an Applegreen gas station on the outskirts of the village of Krisla, about 25 kilometers from the community of Letterkenny.

In photos and footage from the scene of the disaster, a residence can be seen above the gas station with the walls destroyed and the roof partially collapsed and debris falling in the area of ​​the gas station, where several cars were located.

The Irish coastguard said its helicopter, which was a short distance away, was helping to evacuate casualties. A search and rescue crew from Northern Ireland is rushing to the scene, he added.

Mr Doherty, the Sinn Féin MP, said: the “huge explosion” was heard miles away and hours later, there were still people trapped inside the building, some of whom contacted rescue crews.

The gas station, he added, was the only shop in the village, the post office and a hairdresser also operated in the same area.

“We’re all hoping for the best, but it was a devastating explosion that tore apart the building, where a lot of people were at the time.”he stressed on Irish public broadcaster RTÉ.