Creeslough explosion survivor says new development plan ignores trauma of tragedy

A Creeslough explosion survivor has said that the decision to grant planning permission for a new service station beside the site of the 2022 blast that claimed 10 lives is insensitive.,

Christine Evans has lodged an appeal to An Coimisiún Pleanála over the decision by Donegal County Council last month to give planning permission for the new development.

“This is an exceptionally sensitive location,” Ms Evans wrote in a submission to the planning body. “Planning decisions must take account not only of technical matters, but also of the social and community context, particularly when a fatal incident has occurred.

Ms Evans says that the decision to grant planning did not give sufficient weight to the unique and traumatic history of the site, the ongoing impact on survivors and families or the appropriateness of locating a fuel-related development beside such a location.

When a horrific explosion tore through a filling station in the north Donegal village just after 3pm on October 7, 2022, Ms Evans, who also lived in an apartment at the complex, was working in the deli counter.

Ms Evans has pointed out in her appeal that there are ongoing discussions regarding the future of the former site in relation to a potential memorial garden and community use.

She said: “Granting permission at this stage may restrict the ability to provide an appropriate and respectful use of the former site. These concerns have not been adequately addressed.”

Ms Evans has also raised concerns regarding what she says is inappropriate scale and overdevelopment, saying that: “The proposal is more consistent with a major roadside service station than a village-scale development and is out of character with the area”.

Issues are also raised by Ms Evans under: Impact on residential amenity; traffic safety and road safety concerns; as well as safety concerns and appropriateness of development.

Ms Evans said: “The community continues to live with the consequences of the explosion and there are legitimate concerns regarding the appropriateness of locating such a development in this specific location.”

In October 2024, ahead of the second anniversary of the tragedy, Ms Evans recalled to Donegal Live: “I wasn’t out smoking that day because we were so busy . . . Had I been standing out having a cigarette that day I would have been killed.”

Last month, Donegal County Council granted permission for a new service station on a location near the original site.

Several objections were lodged with the Council, but the local authority gave its blessing in granting planning permission.

The permission was granted to Anette and Danny Martin Lafferty subject to 17 conditions, including operating hours being limited to between 7am and 11pm.

The applicants previously sought to rebuild on the explosion site, but An Bord Pleanála ruled that the proposed plan was "out of character”.

A subsequent application to demolish a house and build a new complex was then lodged and, despite several submissions, Donegal County Council granted permission.

The developer sought permission for the erection of a new building with connection to all public services which will incorporate: a shop; post office; off license; store; deli; toilets; staff welfare facilities; forecourt; underground storage tanks and pumps; external canopy; car wash facility; associated signage; outdoor launderette; outdoor fuel bunker storage; and an ATM. 

Earlier this month, the Minister for Justice, Jim O’Callaghan told family members and their legal representatives that he will consider starting some preliminary work for an inquest into the 2022 explosion.

Minister O’Callaghan met with some affected family members at the Department of Justice headquarters for around 90 minutes. 

"If some of the preliminary work in respect of such an inquest could be done in advance of or during and not compromise the criminal proceedings, that is something I would give consideration to,” the minister said afterwards.

The Creeslough explosion, in October 2022, claimed the lives of five-year-old Shauna Flanagan Garwe and her father, Robert Garwe (50), Catherine O’Donnell (39) and her son James Monaghan (13), James O’Flaherty (48), Jessica Gallagher (24), Martin McGill (49), Hugh Kelly (59), Martina Martin (49) and 14-year-old Leona Harper.

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So far, seven people have been detained at various junctures by An Garda Siochana. None of the seven have been charged, but a file has been sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in relation to the matter and there is an ongoing Garda investigation into the events of October 7, 2022.

A supplementary file, in addition to the primary file, was recently sent to the DPP by Gardai, including some formal recommendations from the force.