Three people have died following a “large explosion” at a service station in County Donegal.
Irish Police confirmed the news as rescue missions continue at the site of the explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough.
Images from the scene showed serious damage to the services station. Among those gathered at the scene cordon were relatives of people feared to have been in the station at the time of the explosion.
The mayor of Derry city said there had been a gas explosion in the incident which happened around 3pm.
Multiple emergency service vehicles are in attendance while a Coastguard helicopter was also providing support.
Letterkenny University Hospital was moved to major emergency standby, and appealed to the public not to attend its emergency department unless it was urgent.
“Please contact your GP or NowDoc service in the first instance. NowDoc has increased staffing this evening to help deal with any additional demands,” it said.
Applegreen said in a short statement that it is “aware of a serious incident at its dealer-operated location at Creeslough”.
The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) said it is assisting fire crews from Donegal Fire Service at a “declared major incident” at the Applegreen service station in Cresslough, Co Donegal.
In a tweet it said: “NIFRS are currently supporting colleagues from Donegal Fire Service to a declared major incident at Applegreen filling station, Cresslough, Co Donegal.
“NIFRS have dispatched the specialist rescue team along with specialist officers.”
The Emergency Services are being supported by The Irish Coast Guard’s Sligo based Helicopter Rescue 118 and the Mulroy Coast Guard team are assisting the operation.
Gardaí say they “are currently assisting other Emergency Services at the scene of a serious incident on the N56 at Creeslough.
“An Garda Síochána are asking any road users intending to travel to Creeslough to consider alternative routes.”
Northern Ireland first minister Michelle O’Neil said her thoughts and prayers are with the people of Cresslough and County Donegal.
“The whole country has the community of Cresslough and Co.Donegal in our thoughts this evening. We hope and pray that all those trapped or missing are rescued, brought to safety by the emergency services & reunited with loved ones,” she wrote in a tweet.
Local councillor Donal Mandy Kelly told the PA news agency the news was “devastating”. He said: “My thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved.”
Fianna Fail councillor Anthony Molloy told the PA news agency it is "beyond words" as he knows the family who own the service station. “My thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved,” Mr Molloy said.
“It looks horrific from what I can see from photographs. It looks terrible. It's just terrible.”
Donegal TD Pearse Doherty described the incident as “devastating news”.
“My thoughts and prayers are with all those injured in the explosion in Cresslough,” he said.
