Families of those killed and injured in the Creeslough explosion in 2022 have initiated civil proceedings against multiple parties linked to the Applegreen service station and adjoining apartment complex where the tragedy occurred. Ten people, including three children, were killed in the blast on October 7, 2022, which devastated the small Donegal village.
Solicitor Damien Tansey confirmed on Monday that his office has filed lawsuits on behalf of 25 individuals, including bereaved families and people who suffered catastrophic injuries. Damages are being sought for personal injuries and nervous shock, with cases expected to come before the courts within the next year.
Among the defendants named are Applegreen Limited, Vivo/Shell Limited, Duntally Woods Apartment Owners Management Company, Donegal County Council, the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities, and several other entities and individuals. In total, 12 parties have been listed in the latest cases, which span claims from residents, victims’ families, and injured survivors.
Mr Tansey noted that some of the plaintiffs include apartment owners who fear that insurance compensation will fall short of covering the full value of their destroyed properties. “We had to first submit the claims to the Injuries Resolution Board, and in the case of one defendant who is in liquidation, we also required permission from the High Court to proceed,” he said.
Six separate legal firms are representing the plaintiffs, which include the parents of 14-year-old Leona Harper, who died in the explosion, and the sisters of Martina Russell, another victim of the tragedy. The blast claimed the lives of four men, three women, and three children, ranging from five to 59 years old.
While a sudden gas leak is suspected to have caused the explosion, a formal conclusion has not yet been reached. The Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation is continuing its inquiry in cooperation with the Health & Safety Authority and other regulatory bodies. A man in his 60s was arrested earlier this year in connection with the investigation but was released without charge. In total, five people have been questioned.
Calls for a public inquiry remain strong, with bereaved families demanding full transparency about the cause of the explosion. Donegal County Council has already passed a motion in support of such an inquiry.
Controversy also followed the council’s initial approval of a plan by Vivo/Shell Limited to build a new service station on the site. That decision, made in February, was met with outrage from grieving families and was ultimately overturned by An Coimisiún Pleanála last month. The planning authority ruled the proposed development was out of character with the area and would negatively affect the village’s architectural setting.
