Two people arrested in connection with Creeslough explosion investigation released without charge

Blast at service station in Co Donegal in October 2022 resulted in the deaths of 10 people

Two people arrested in connection with a criminal investigation into an explosion in Creeslough, Co Donegal, in which 10 people died, have been released without charge. Photograph: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews.ie
Two people arrested in connection with a criminal investigation into an explosion in Creeslough, Co Donegal, in which 10 people died, have been released without charge. Photograph: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews.ie

Two people arrested in connection with a criminal investigation into an explosion in Creeslough, Co Donegal, in which 10 people died, have been released without charge.

The investigation is ongoing while a file will be submitted to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), according to gardaí.

“An Garda Síochána has no further comment at this time,” a garda spokeswoman said.

The two arrests on Monday, of a man and woman aged in their 40s, follow the detention of two other people in March.

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The first two people detained were also released without charge, with gardaí saying a file would be submitted to the DPP.

Those who died in the blast at the Applegreen service station in October 2022 were aged between five and 59.

The arrests of the two men in March represented the first official confirmation from the Garda that the inquiry into the cause of the explosion is a criminal one.

From the start of the investigation, gardaí were focused on the gas system at the buildings on the site, including an apartment block on what was a small residential and retail site.

While there is no suggestion the gas system was tampered with, or any actions were undertaken to deliberately damage it, every aspect of how that system ran and was maintained has been examined by the investigating team.

The two men detained in March, the first arrests in the case, were interviewed by detectives and questions were put to them about the gas system. It is understood similar questions would be put to the people detained on Monday.

Jack White

Jack White

Jack White is a reporter for The Irish Times

Conor Lally

Conor Lally

Conor Lally is Security and Crime Editor of The Irish Times