A girl is among 10 people who have been confirmed dead after an explosion at a Donegal petrol station in what has been described as a “freak accident”.
The victims are four men, three women, two teenagers and a primary school girl, according to police.
A major search continues at the devastated site in the village of Creeslough.
The explosion on Friday afternoon leveled the Applegreen gas station and convenience store and caused widespread damage, including to surrounding buildings and cars.
Irish Prime Minister Michael Martin said it was an “unspeakable tragedy” and pledged support to help him overcome the “enormous trauma”.
Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service has left Creeslough after helping with the rescue effort following the blast.
Sniffer dogs have been used and an excavator has been sifting through the debris, and the debris has been hauled away on a trailer.
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At one point on Friday night, all machinery was shut down and bystanders were asked to remain completely quiet as workers tried to spot survivors under the rubble.
After announcing three deaths in the wake of the tragedy, Irish police confirmed the latest deaths on Saturday.
The force said a search and recovery operation was continuing for “new fatalities”.
No indication has been given as to the suspected cause of the explosion.
A witness to the explosion, Siobhan Carr, said: “Within seconds the area was covered in ash and a puff of smoke.
“From that we ran out to see what had happened and within seconds, people from the community just came running up the road, cars stopped, people got out of cars, ran towards the ‘building to see who could help.’
Image: Image: North West Newspix
Martin, who plans to visit the scene, said: “I think the whole nation is shocked by what has happened, it is an unspeakable tragedy.
“Our thoughts and our payers, our hearts go out to the people of Creeslough, to the families of those who lost their lives and those who were injured, and to the whole community who are numb and shocked by what has happened.”
Disaster-hit community struggles with ‘tsunami of grief’
David Blevins
Chief Correspondent in Ireland
@skydavidblevins
It would be hard to overstate the sense of shock in Creeslough.
This small, picturesque town in County Donegal is trying to come to terms with an enormous tragedy.
There is an eerie silence, people numb to what has happened here.
The parish priest, Father John Joe Duffy, told me he was facing a “tsunami of grief”.
He has been providing pastoral support to the bereaved and those still waiting for news.
The gas station was a community center and would have been full at the time of the explosion.
Local people were digging through the rubble to try to rescue those trapped when help arrived.
Northern Ireland’s fire and ambulance services crossed the border to help their colleagues.
People have been arriving with hot food for emergency teams, delicately searching through the debris.
A local politician said: “We are seeing the best of this community as it faces its worst day.”
Irish Deputy Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said: “This unthinkable tragedy happened in a community we will all know, to families going about their everyday lives as we do.
“This freak accident has left many empty chairs at dinner tables. It’s too hard to fathom.”
The president of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, said: “This tragedy is a terrible blow to a community that is very close-knit and where all the loss and injury will be felt by all members of the community and far beyond.”
Applegreen founder and chief executive Joe Barrett said: “This is a hugely tragic event and I would like to offer our deepest condolences to the families and friends of the deceased and to the entire Creeslough community.
“We are absolutely shocked and saddened by what happened yesterday. I would also like to extend our thanks to the emergency services and first responders who are dealing with the incident.”
Donegal TD Pearse Doherty said: “This explosion not only tore the heart out of this building, it tore the heart out of this community and left a huge amount of devastation.
“Many people are still missing and emergency services are working tirelessly to clear the debris and recover others who are still in this building.”
Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue, who also represents the area, said: “It’s a really difficult and traumatic situation here in Creeslough.
“There is real devastation here in this local community.
“This is something that will mark this community and indeed Donegal for many years to come.”
Prayers were held at the local church in Creeslough on Saturday morning, where the congregation were told there was a “tsunami” of grief in the community.
Father 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 the injured, we pray for all involved… we pray for those who are they continue to help and have helped since yesterday.
“We also pray for those family members who are grieving and we pray for those who are still waiting for news.
“We all hold them very close to our hearts.”