Four victims have been named among the 10 people killed in an explosion at an Irish petrol station yesterday.
Teenage rugby player Leona Harper, 23-year-old former design student Jessica Gallagher, Catherine O'Donnell and her 14-year-old son James all lost their lives.
Other victims who died in the devastating tragedy are understood to be a five-year-old girl and her dad, and a local farmer in his 60s.
A major emergency had been declared at the nearby hospital, with locals rushing to help rescue people who could be heard crying for help beneath the rubble.
The cause of the explosion at the Applegreen Service Station in County Donegal, Ireland, is believed to be a "freak" accident.
Hundreds of people, including emergency workers who had taken part in the search, packed the local church to mourn together on Saturday evening.
Leona's local rugby club took to Facebook to pay tribute to the talented teenager.
Letterkenny Rugby Club wrote: "We are heartbroken to say our worst fears have been confirmed. Leona Harper tragically lost her life yesterday in Creeslough.
"Leona was a talented rugby player and an important part of our U14 girls team.
"To Leona's parents, Hugh and Donna, her brothers Anthony and Jamie, and all of her team mates, we offer you our deepest condolences and support.
"There are no words that feel strong enough at a moment of deep sorrow such as this.
"Rest in peace, Leona."
Her older brother, Anthony, shared a picture of them together on Facebook.
He wrote: "I don't know where to begin, Leona I couldn't have asked for a better little sister.
"You would go mad for me putting this up of you now because it's an old picture of you.
"Leona I love you so much and we all love you so much xx."
Ms Gallagher was reportedly inside a flat above the petrol station with her boyfriend at the time of the explosion.
She passed away and her boyfriend is understood to be in hospital with injuries.
A friend told MailOnline: "Jessica was a lovely girl, she grew up in Creeslough and went to school here.
"She had a lot of friends, who are understandably distraught at the news."
Jessica's relative, John, also wrote on Facebook: "R.I.P. I'm sure you're all heard about the gas explosion in Creeslough.
"Unfortunately our cousin Anthony Gallagher has lost his daughter Jessica in the explosion.
"Jessica was in the same year at school as my daughter Flonnuala.
"Our thoughts are with her parents and two sisters and also so with all the friends and families of all the other victims of this disaster."
Photos from the scene showed a two-storey apartment block above the petrol station's store with walls blown out and a partially collapsed roof, and debris scattered across the forecourt where several cars were parked.
On Friday evening, sniffer dogs were brought to the rubble in a bid to find people still stuck under the debris, while injured people were being airlifted from the scene.
At one stage, rescue crews asked onlookers to remain silent as they switched off machinery and listened out for anyone still trapped in the wreckage.
Overnight eight casualties were rushed to hospital and a further four people were confirmed dead.
But by Saturday afternoon, emergency crews and political figures raised fears the death toll would keep rising as the rescue mission turned into a search and recovery operation.
Police believe the cause of the explosion was accidental, and said it is the largest number of civilian casualties seen in decades in the region.
At a media conference this afternoon, Garda press spokesman Liam Geraghty said: "The emergency services continue a search and recovery operation at the site this afternoon but based on the information available to An Garda Siochana at this time it is not expected that there will be any further casualties located and there are no outstanding reports of unaccounted for persons.
"The 10 casualties are four men, three women, two teenagers - a boy and girl, and a younger girl.
"The thoughts of all the emergency service personnel who have attended the scene over the last 24 hours, the local community in Creeslough and the nation are today with the deceased and their families."
A five-year-old girl and her father, who were buying a birthday cake for her mum, were also caught up in the explosion, it is reported.
A family friend said: "Her mother is absolutely devastated, the whole family are."
Superintendent David Kelly of Milford Garda station said: "At this point in time we have to keep an open mind in how we investigate this but our information at this point in time is pointing towards a tragic accident."
Emergency services do not expect to recover any further victims from the rubble and there are no outstanding missing person reports.
Taoiseach Micheal Martin said: "It's very difficult for the families concerned in the community. We are with them and will be with them for the time ahead.
"A shocking toll and there will be more, and it's a search operation now and we hope and pray.
"It has been a very, very terrible 24 hours for them as news of this explosion arrived.
"There was people in the vicinity. They've had a lot of anxiety and stress and they're waiting and waiting for news.
"The (emergency) services, and I've been talking to them, have been really, really courageous and have given great support.
"Many families will go through and are going through a terrible trauma right now and we have to rally around and I know the community will rally around, I know all the people in the vicinity of the community that will rally around."
He described it as one of the "darkest days" for Ireland.
The President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins, expressed his shock at the "terrible tragedy".
"All of our thoughts must go out to all of those who have been affected," he said.
"Those who have received news of the loss of a loved one, those injured and, most of all, those who are waiting with anxiety for news of their loved ones.
"This tragedy is a terrible blow to a community that is closely knit and where every loss and injury will be felt by every member of the community and far beyond."
Applegreen founder and chief executive Joe Barrett said the company was "utterly shocked and saddened" by the "tragic" incident.
Mr Barrett said: "Yesterday was a very dark day for Creeslough, for Donegal, for Ireland, and for all of us in the wider Applegreen family.
"This is a hugely tragic event, and I would like to offer our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of the deceased, and to the entire community in Creeslough."
All 10 victims of the explosion, which destroyed an apartment complex attached to the shop, were from the Creeslough area.
One was said to be a local farmer in his 60s.
Among those gathered at the cordon on Friday night were relatives of people believed to have been in the buildings at the time.
One woman who lived nearby said: "I heard an almighty bang and came out to see what had happened.
"It was carnage, that's the only way to describe it, a few lads had rushed in to pull away debris and try and get to people trapped inside, but it was a dangerous situation.
"Pretty soon the whole village was filled with the emergency services, the Gardai and ambulances.
"This is a very small, close-knit community. We know some of those who have died.
"There was a mother and her son who had popped into the shop after school. The boy goes to the local secondary school, which finishes early on Fridays.
"A lot of the kids go into the shops to get sweets, it's a weekend treat. It's too awful to even think about it. I think the whole village is in shock."
Local Sinn Fein lawmaker Pearse Doherty said at the scene yesterday that the "massive explosion" was heard from miles around.
As the only supermarket in the village, and home to a post office and hairdressers, he said the station would have been very busy just at the end of the school day.
Bernard Doherty, who lives nearby and knew all but one of the victims, told national broadcaster RTE that he and others began clearing rubble with tractors and trailers before the Irish Coast Guard and a specialist rescue team from nearby Northern Ireland joined emergency services at the scene.
"Rubble had been blown across the forecourt as far as the road. There was everything from tin to blocks, floor slabs, contents from the shop just lying around the place," he said, adding that one person was pulled out alive.
"About 20 seconds after landing on the scene, we knew what was ahead."
Prayers were said in the local church in Creeslough this morning for all those suffering.
The congregation at St Michael's Church heard there was a "tsunami" of grief in the community.
Fr John Joe Duffy said: "From our hearts, with all our hearts and with all our souls, we pray for those who have died, we pray for those who were injured, we pray for all who were involved ... we pray for those who are there continuing to help and have helped since yesterday.
"We pray also for those family members who are bereaved and we pray for those who still are waiting news.
"We keep them all very much in our hearts."
