Man and woman arrested over Creeslough explosion released without charge

Gardai investigating the fatal explosion in Creeslough, Co Donegal, intend to submit a file on the incident to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Two people were arrested on Monday in relation to the October 2022 blast which saw ten people lose their lives.

The two, a man and a woman both aged in their 40s, were released without charge.

Four people have now been arrested in connection to the explosion with two men, both aged in their 50s, having been arrested and also released without charge in March.

Those arrests represented the first confirmation that the garda probe, which is being led by Gardai at Milford Garda Station, is a criminal one.

Ten people aged between five and 59, including four men, three women and three children, lost their lives in the horrific explosion at a filling station complex on October 7, 2022.

Gardai confirmed that the man and woman lifted by officers on Monday were since released without charge.

“The investigation, led by Gardaí in the Donegal Division, is ongoing with the intention of submitting a file to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions,” a Garda spokesperson.

“An Garda Síochána has no further comment at this time.”

Once a file has been submitted, the DPP will ultimately determine if criminal charges are to be brought against any persons and what those charges are to be.

The investigation is one of the most complex undertaken by gardai with over 1,350 lines of inquiry open and around 1,000 statements taken.

The two arrested on Monday were arrested for alleged offences contrary to the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997.

They were detained under the provisions of section 4 Criminal Justice Act 1984 at separate Garda stations in Donegal.

The investigation is being co-ordinated from Milford Garda station where an Incident Room is established under the direction of a Garda Senior Investigating Officer.

The probe has been focussed on the gas system at the complex, including how it was operated and maintained.

The investigation continues to be led by local Gardaí, in Donegal Division supported by the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (GNBCI) and other agencies including the Health & Safety Authority (HSA) & the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU).

DNV (Det Norske Veritas), a Norwegian company specialising in the investigation and testing of energy systems, were also drafted in to aid.

A Family Liaison Team with a dedicated Family Liaison Officer appointed to each deceased person’s family is in place and continues to support the bereaved families.

It is understood that no inquests will be held until the garda investigation into the incident has concluded.

Five-year-old Shauna Flanagan-Garwe and her father, Robert Garwe (50) lost their lives, as did Catherine O’Donnell (39) and her 13-year-old son, James Monaghan. Leona Harper, aged 14, and Jessica Gallagher (24) were killed along with shop assistant Martina Martin (49). James O’Flaherty (48), Martin McGill (49) and Hugh Kelly (59) were the other victims of the horrific explosion.