Ireland Man dies in explosion at Depaul homeless shelter on Little Britain Street, Dublin
On Thursday 18 January 2024, at about 3.15pm, an improvised explosive device detonated in a room at the Depaul supported temporary accommodation centre on Little Britain Street in Dublin's north inner city. The man in the room, named by the Irish Mirror as Igor Dmitrov, a 38-year-old Lithuanian man, was the only person there and was pronounced dead at the scene, and no one else was injured. On 20 January the Irish Times reported that gardaí believed he owned the device, while the Irish Mirror reported that sources said gardaí suspected he blew himself up while tinkering with homemade explosives. Gardaí are liaising with Lithuanian authorities and examining his phone and mental health history, and no one has been arrested or charged as of the latest reports on 20 January.
- Reported20 Jan
2 reports - Arrested
- Charged
- In court
- Verdict
- Sentenced
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- A homeless man died when an improvised explosive device detonated in his room at a Depaul homeless accommodation centre.
- The man was the only person in the room and was pronounced dead at the scene.
- The man is named by the Irish Mirror as Igor Dmitrov, a 38-year-old Lithuanian man; the Irish Times describes him as in his 30s and from Lithuania.
- Where
- The explosion occurred at the Depaul supported temporary accommodation centre on Little Britain Street in Dublin's north inner city.
- When
- The explosion happened at about 3.15pm on Thursday 18 January 2024.
- Weapon
- The device was a pipe bomb-like homemade explosive device that was understood to have been under the man's bed.
- Cause
- Gardaí have ruled out any attack on the victim.
- The Irish Times reported on 20 January that gardaí believed the man owned the device, and the Irish Mirror reported that sources said gardaí suspected he accidentally blew himself up while tinkering with homemade explosives.
- It was unclear whether the man built the device or was storing it, having acquired it from criminals in Dublin.
- Investigation
- Detectives at Bridewell Garda station are investigating the origins of the device, the man's phone and internet history, and his mental health history, and gardaí are liaising with Lithuanian authorities.
- The Defence Forces EOD team attended the scene, and its bomb disposal unit carried out a controlled explosion on the remains of the device.
- Other details
- The Depaul facility was evacuated immediately, no one else was injured, and a gas heater was initially suspected but ruled out.
- Charges
- No one has been arrested or charged, and gardaí say they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.
27 statements extracted from the articles
- whatThe man was the only person in the room when the explosion occurred. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe man was pronounced dead at the scene. (irishtimes.com)
- whatA homeless man died in a Depaul homeless shelter in Dublin's Little Britain Street. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe explosion occurred at a homeless accommodation centre on Little Britain Street in Dublin's north inner city. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe device was understood to have been underneath the man's bed. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe explosion occurred at about 3.15pm on a Thursday. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe explosion happened just after 3.15pm on Thursday. (irishmirror.ie)
- causeGardaí have ruled out any attack on the victim. (irishtimes.com)
- causeIt was unclear whether the man had built the device or was storing it, having acquired it from criminals in Dublin. (irishtimes.com)
- causeGardaí suspect the man blew himself up after tinkering with or putting together homemade explosives. (irishmirror.ie)
- weaponAn improvised explosive device detonated in the man's room. (irishtimes.com)
- weaponThe device was a pipe bomb-like device. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí believe the man owned the device. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationDetectives at Bridewell Garda station are carrying out the criminal investigation into the origins of the device. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí are liaising with authorities in Lithuania. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí are examining the man's phone, including internet and search history. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí are investigating the man's mental health history. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí are examining whether the device was accidentally or deliberately blown up by the man. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí are investigating what, if any, motive the man had. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe Defence Forces EOD team was called to the scene. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe Depaul facility was evacuated immediately after the explosion. (irishtimes.com)
- otherNo one else was injured and the explosion was confined to one room. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe Defence Forces' bomb disposal unit carried out a controlled explosion on the remains of the device. (irishtimes.com)
- otherA gas heater was initially suspected but was ruled out. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe man was believed to have a history of mental health issues. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherNobody else was injured in the incident. (irishmirror.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 20 Jan2024Gardai probing Dublin blast suspect man accidently blew himself up making bomb
Sources-based report that gardaí suspect the man blew himself up while tinkering with homemade explosives. Gardaí say they are not looking for anyone else. The article names the man as Igor Dmitrov.
victim, Igor Dmitrov, 38, male, Lithuanian, non-irishIgor Dmitrov - 20 Jan2024Gardaí believe man killed in homeless centre explosion owned bomb that detonated
Gardaí believe the man who died owned the bomb and have ruled out an attack on him. The article adds the explosion site, the man's age, nationality and the Lithuanian liaison, the evacuation of 71 residents, and the Defence Forces' controlled explosion.
victim, 30s, male, non-irish (judged from name)