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A five-year-old girl and her father are among the 10 people named as victims of the devastating explosion at a petrol station in Ireland. Police are continuing to investigate the blast that ripped through the Applegreen service station and convenience store in Creeslough, Co Donegal, on Friday afternoon.
The huge explosion, which is being treated by as a “tragic accident”, claimed the lives of 10 local people who have now been named by police.
Those who died were James O’Flaherty, 48, Jessica Gallagher, 24, Martin McGill, 49, Catherine O’Donnell, 39, and her 13-year-old son James Monaghan, Hugh Kelly, 59, Martina Martin, 49, Robert Garwe, 50, and his five-year-old daughter Shauna Flanagan Garwe, and 14-year-old Leona Harper.
Police said a man in his 20s remains in a critical condition at St James’s Hospital in Dublin.
The seven other surviving casualties continue to receive treatment in Letterkenny University Hospital and remain in a stable condition.
Irish premier Micheal Martin today met those who were admitted to hospital.
The Taoiseach also met the medical team who were on duty on the day of the explosion, as well as members of Letterkenny fire station.
Mr Martin was joined by Agriculture Minister and Donegal TD Charlie McConalogue and deputy leader Leo Varadkar.
The Irish premier also visited the site of the explosion on Saturday evening.
He said: “The entire nation is mourning and deeply saddened.”
Meanwhile, a bishop today said the people of the village of Creeslough are “living through a nightmare of shock and horror” after the blast.
Addressing the congregation during Sunday mass at St Michael’s Church in Creeslough, Bishop of Raphoe Alan McGuckian said: “At this time, you, the people of Creeslough, are living through a nightmare of shock and horror since the very heart of the community was deeply wounded on Friday afternoon.
“It’s an experience that we are living through together. But we recognise that the trauma is different for every single individual. We hold in our hearts most especially those for whom this is most acute.
“We think firstly of the 10 who have lost their lives and gone to God, and then of those nearest to them who are most cruelly bereaved.
“And then we think of the injured, struggling to recover in body and spirit. We think of everyone, both from the community and the first responders in the public services who have carried the burden of being close to the tragedy as it has unfolded.
“And we remember everyone here in Creeslough, and indeed throughout Ireland and further, who feels helpless and shaken by what has happened.”
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