A lawyer representing the next of kin of seven of the 10 victims of the October 2022 blast in the Co Donegal village has written to Minister for Justice Helen McEntee asking for an independent investigation to be established. Irish premier Simon Harris has responded to their call by stating there are “significant questions” to be answered around the explosion. Their request comes as gardai continue to investigate the circumstances of the explosion that ripped through the village’s Applegreen service station and a nearby apartment block on the afternoon of Friday October 7.
Four men, three women and three children, ranging in age from five to 59, died in the blast. While the cause of the explosion has yet to be formally confirmed by the authorities, it is understood a gas leak is considered a central line of inquiry. Those who died 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; Sydney native James O’Flaherty; shop worker Martina Martin; carpenter Hugh “Hughie” Kelly; and 14-year-old Leona Harper.
Phoenix Law, which acts for the majority of the families, has now written to Ms McEntee formally seeking a public inquiry or commission of investigation. Darragh Mackin, solicitor for the families, said they had also requested a meeting with the minister. The letter, seen by the PA news agency, said the tragedy of Creeslough ha.