Case No. 1019Fatal explosion (multiple fatalities) · Co. Donegal · 7 Oct 2022
Man in his 40s arrested over Creeslough explosion that killed 10 people
An explosion at a filling station and adjoining apartment complex in Creeslough, County Donegal, on 7 October 2022 killed 10 people, including three children, in what is widely suspected to have been caused by a gas leak. On 12 September 2025, a man in his 40s was arrested in Dublin for alleged offences contrary to the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997, making him the sixth person arrested in the investigation; he was released without charge the following day and a file is to be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions. The investigation is coordinated from Milford Garda Station and led by the Donegal Division with support from GNBCI, the HSA and the CRU. In a separate development, Aviva Insurance has sought High Court direction on distributing €8.265 million in insurance claims, and Donegal County Council's February 2025 approval to redevelop the site has been appealed by bereaved families.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrested12 Sep
3 reports - Chargednot reported
- In court5 Sep
- Verdict
- Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- An explosion at a filling station and adjoining apartment complex in Creeslough, County Donegal, killed 10 people, including three children, with ages ranging from five to 59.
- Where
- The explosion occurred at a service station and apartment complex in the village of Creeslough, County Donegal.
- When
- The explosion occurred on the afternoon of Friday 7 October 2022.
- Cause
- A gas leak at the building is widely suspected to have caused the explosion.
- Investigation
- The investigation is coordinated from Milford Garda Station and led by the Donegal Division, supported by GNBCI, the HSA and the CRU.
- A man in his 40s was arrested in Dublin on 12 September 2025, the sixth person arrested in the investigation, and was released without charge on 13 September 2025.
- A file is to be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions, and all six people arrested so far have been released without charge.
- Charges
- The man was arrested for alleged offences contrary to the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997.
- In court
- Aviva Insurance has sought High Court direction on distributing a total of €8.265 million in insurance claims, including a €1.7 million building payout, a €65,000 contents claim and a €6.5 million public liability sum.
- Other details
- Vivo Shell Ltd, a company controlled by Danny Martin Lafferty and Annette Lafferty, is the owner of the complex and disputes with apartment owners how the building payout should be divided.
- Donegal County Council approved Vivo Shell's proposal to redevelop the site in February 2025, a decision appealed by several bereaved family members.
46 statements extracted from the articles
- whatAn insurance firm is seeking High Court direction on settling a dispute over insurance claims relating to the Creeslough fatalities (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe explosion claimed the lives of 10 people (irishtimes.com)
- whatVivo Shell Ltd is a company controlled by Danny Martin Lafferty and Annette Lafferty and the owner of the complex (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe building was insured for €1.7 million, less than the property damage losses incurred (irishtimes.com)
- whatA dispute arose after apartment owners said they were entitled to a share of the building payout (irishtimes.com)
- whatVivo Shell agrees apartment owners are entitled to a share but there is disagreement on how it should be divided (irishtimes.com)
- whatUnder proposed distributions, apartment owners stand to receive significantly less than market value or reinstatement cost (irishtimes.com)
- whatSome apartment owners represented by Damien Tansey Solicitors LLP want to reserve their right to pursue Vivo Shell for the difference (irishtimes.com)
- whatThere is disagreement over the distribution of €65,000 from a contents claim (irishtimes.com)
- whatAviva has sought direction on how to distribute a public liability sum of €6.5 million (irishtimes.com)
- whatAviva is asking the High Court to direct how to divide the total sum of €8.265 million (irishtimes.com)
- whatDonegal County Council approved Vivo Shell's proposal to redevelop a service station and shop at the site in February (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe redevelopment was appealed by several family members of those killed (irishtimes.com)
- whatA man in his 40s was arrested in Dublin in connection with the Creeslough tragedy of 2022. (dublinlive.ie)
- whatTen people, including three children, died in the explosion. (dublinlive.ie)
- whatA man in his 40s was arrested in connection with the Creeslough explosion (irishmirror.ie)
- whatTen people died in the explosion (irishmirror.ie)
- whatTen people lost their lives following an explosion at a service station in Creeslough, Co Donegal on 7 October 2022. (irishtimes.com)
- whatA man in his 40s was arrested as part of the Garda investigation into the Creeslough tragedy. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe man was released without charge. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe explosion occurred at a service station in Creeslough, County Donegal. (dublinlive.ie)
- whereThe explosion occurred in the village of Creeslough in County Donegal (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe explosion occurred at a filling station and apartment complex (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe building also contained a number of apartments. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe explosion occurred on 7 October 2022 at a filling station and adjoining apartment complex in Creeslough (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe matter is due before the High Court before the end of the month (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe explosion occurred on Friday, 7 October 2022. (dublinlive.ie)
- whenThe explosion occurred on the afternoon of Friday 7 October 2022 (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe arrest was made on Friday 12 September 2025 (irishmirror.ie)
- causeIt is widely suspected that a gas leak at the building caused the explosion at the Applegreen filling station. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí and other agencies continue to investigate the cause of the Creeslough explosion (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe man is detained under Section 4 Criminal Justice Act 1984 at a Garda station in the Dublin Metropolitan Region. (dublinlive.ie, irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe investigation is coordinated from Milford Garda Station where an Incident Room is established under a Garda Senior Investigating Officer. (dublinlive.ie)
- investigationThe investigation is led by local Gardaí in the Donegal Division, supported by GNBCI, the HSA and the CRU. (dublinlive.ie)
- investigationThis is the sixth person arrested in the investigation (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationAll previous arrests have been released without charge (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe investigation is co-ordinated from Milford Garda Station with an Incident Room under a Senior Investigating Officer (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe investigation is led by local Gardaí in the Donegal Division, supported by GNBCI, HSA and CRU (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationA file is to be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationAll those arrested so far in relation to the investigation have been questioned and released without charge. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationHe was detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 at a Garda station in the Dublin Metropolitan Region. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe investigation is coordinated from Milford Garda station where an incident room has been set up. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe investigation is led by Donegal division, supported by the GNBCI, the Health and Safety Authority, and the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeThe man was arrested for alleged offences contrary to the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997. (dublinlive.ie, irishmirror.ie)
- courtSeveral bereaved family members have initiated personal injury actions in the High Court (irishtimes.com)
- otherLisa Gallagher, sister of victim Jessica Gallagher, said families of the bereaved were being left in the dark about the investigation. (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 13 Sep2025Creeslough: Man (40s) arrested as part of Garda investigation released from custody
Sixth arrest in the Creeslough explosion investigation; man released without charge, file to be prepared for DPP. All six arrested so far have been released without charge.
suspect, 40s, malevictim, Leona Harper, 14, female, irish (judged from name)Leona Harpervictim, James Monaghan, 13, male, irish (judged from name)James Monaghanvictim, 39, female, irish (judged from name)victim, Robert Garwe, 50, male, irish (judged from name)Robert Garwevictim, Shauna Flanagan Garwe, 5, female, irish (judged from name)Shauna Flanagan Garwevictim, Martin McGill, 49, male, irish (judged from name)Martin McGillvictim, Jessica Gallagher, 24, female, irish (judged from name)Jessica Gallaghervictim, 48, male, irish (judged from name)victim, Martina Martin, 49, female, irish (judged from name)Martina Martinvictim, Hugh Kelly, 59, male, irish (judged from name)Hugh Kelly - 12 Sep2025Major update on Creeslough explosion that killed 10 people
Reports the arrest of a man in his 40s, the sixth person arrested in the Creeslough explosion investigation, detained under Section 4 Criminal Justice Act 1984 at a Garda station in the Dublin Metropolitan Region. Names all 10 victims and confirms the investigation is led by local Gardaí in the Donegal Division with GNBCI, HSA and CRU support.
suspect, 40s, malevictim, Robert Garwe, male, irish (judged from name)Robert Garwevictim, Shauna Flanagan Garwe, 5, female, irish (judged from name)Shauna Flanagan Garwevictim, female, irish (judged from name)victim, James Monaghan, 13, male, irish (judged from name)James Monaghanvictim, Jessica Gallagher, female, irish (judged from name)Jessica Gallaghervictim, Martin McGill, male, irish (judged from name)Martin McGillvictim, male, irish (judged from name)victim, Martina Martin, female, irish (judged from name)Martina Martinvictim, Hugh Kelly, male, irish (judged from name)Hugh Kellyvictim, Leona Harper, 14, female, irish (judged from name)Leona Harper - 12 Sep2025Man arrested in Dublin in connection with Creeslough explosion
Confirms the specific statutory charges (Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997), that the suspect is detained under Section 4 Criminal Justice Act 1984 at a Dublin Metropolitan Region Garda station, and that the investigation is coordinated from Milford Garda Station with support from GNBCI, HSA and CRU.
suspect, 40s, male - 5 Sep2025Creeslough explosion: Dispute over payout for apartment owners goes to High Court
Details the insurance dispute: €1.7 million building insurance, €65,000 contents claim, €6.5 million public liability sum totalling €8.265 million; disagreement between Vivo Shell (Laffertys) and apartment owners over distribution; names all 10 victims including Catherine O'Donnell and James O'Flaherty not previously listed; notes Donegal County Council approved redevelopment of the site in February, appealed by bereaved families; Gardaí and other agencies continue to investigate the cause.
victim, Robert Garwe, 50, male, irish (judged from name)Robert Garwevictim, Shauna Flanagan Garwe, 5, female, irish (judged from name)Shauna Flanagan Garwevictim, 39, female, irish (judged from name)victim, James Monaghan, 13, male, irish (judged from name)James Monaghanvictim, 48, irish (judged from name)victim, Jessica Gallagher, 24, irish (judged from name)Jessica Gallaghervictim, Martin McGill, 49, irish (judged from name)Martin McGillvictim, Hugh Kelly, 59, irish (judged from name)Hugh Kellyvictim, Martina Martin, 49, irish (judged from name)Martina Martinvictim, Leona Harper, 14, irish (judged from name)Leona Harpersuspect, Danny Martin Lafferty, named, irish (judged from name)Danny Martin Laffertysuspect, Annette Lafferty, named, irish (judged from name)Annette Lafferty