On October 7, 2022, a devastating explosion strikes the Applegreen petrol station and adjacent apartment complex in Creeslough, County Donegal, killing ten people and injuring eight. The suspected cause is an accidental gas leak.
The blast occurs at 15:17 IST, severely damaging the forecourt and partially collapsing the building behind the petrol station. The complex includes apartments, a convenience store, post office, and hair salon. Up to thirty people — including schoolchildren — are present at the time. Emergency services from both sides of the border assist in the search and rescue.
The deceased are Leona Harper (14), Robert Garwe (50) and his 5-year-old daughter Shauna Flanagan-Garwe, Catherine O’Donnell (39) and her 13-year-old son James Monaghan, Jessica Gallagher (24), Martin McGill (49), James O’Flaherty (48), Martina Martin (49) and Hugh “Hughie” Kelly (59).
Eight injured people are hospitalised, some airlifted by the Irish Coast Guard and Air Ambulance Northern Ireland.
The Garda Síochána, supported by the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) and the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU), lead the investigation, which generates over 1,500 jobs, 1,000 statements, and 750 reports by September 2025. Seven people, including six men and one woman, have been arrested at that stage.
A primary investigation file is sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in September 2025, with a supplementary file from gardaí and the HSA’s final report submitted in August 2026. The DPP will now decide whether to proceed with criminal charges.
Families have campaigned for a public inquiry if the criminal investigation does not provide satisfactory answers. Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said such an inquiry can be facilitated if needed, but the government has maintained it should not begin while the criminal case is active. Families have met with senior officials and continue to seek transparency.
As of August 2026, the HSA’s final report has been sent to the DPP, marking a key step in closing the criminal investigation chapter. The outcome will determine whether further legal or public inquiry action follows.
