Wednesday 28 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 5801Explosion investigation (arrests under Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997) · Co. Donegal · 7 Oct 2022

Two arrested in investigation into Creeslough explosion, Co Donegal

A criminal investigation concerns an explosion on 7 October 2022 at a building complex in Creeslough, Co Donegal, reported as the Applegreen service station, which killed 10 people aged between five and 59. In March 2024 two men were detained, and on Monday 27 May 2024 a man and a woman in their 40s were arrested in connection with alleged offences under the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997. All four were released without charge, and on 28 May 2024 gardaí said a file will be submitted to the DPP and the investigation is ongoing.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrested28 May
  3. Charged
  4. In court
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
An explosion in Creeslough, Co Donegal, killed 10 people.
Where
Sources place the explosion at the Applegreen service station in Creeslough and at a building complex in Creeslough.
When
The explosion happened on 7 October 2022.
Other details
  • Those who died in the blast were aged between five and 59.
  • The two people arrested in May were detained under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 and held separately at Garda stations in Donegal.
  • All four people detained, the two men in March and the man and woman in May, were released without charge.
  • Gardaí have no further comment at this time.
Cause
From the start gardaí focused on the gas system at the buildings on the site, and there is no suggestion it was tampered with or deliberately damaged.
Investigation
  • Local gardaí in Donegal Division lead the investigation, co-ordinated from Milford Garda station, with support from the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Health and Safety Authority.
  • By the first anniversary gardaí had opened more than 1,350 lines of inquiry and taken more than 900 statements.
  • In March 2024 two men were detained, the first official confirmation that the inquiry into the cause of the explosion is criminal.
  • On Monday 27 May 2024 a man and a woman in their 40s were arrested.
  • Gardaí say a file will be submitted to the DPP and the investigation is ongoing.
Charges
The arrests were for alleged offences under the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997.
23 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatThe criminal investigation concerns an explosion in Creeslough, Co Donegal, in which 10 people died. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe explosion in Creeslough killed 10 people. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe explosion happened at the Applegreen service station in Creeslough. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe explosion happened at a building complex in Creeslough, Co Donegal. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe explosion happened in October 2022. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenTwo people, a man and a woman in their 40s, were arrested on Monday. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe arrests on Monday followed the detention of two other people in March. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe explosion at a building complex in Creeslough happened on October 7, 2022. (irishmirror.ie)
  • causeThere is no suggestion the gas system was tampered with or deliberately damaged. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationGardaí will submit a file to the DPP and the investigation is ongoing. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationThe March arrests were the first official confirmation that the inquiry into the cause of the explosion is criminal. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationFrom the start, gardaí focused on the gas system at the buildings on the site. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationA man and a woman in their 40s were arrested. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationThe investigation is led by local gardaí in Donegal Division. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationThe investigation is co-ordinated from Milford Garda station, where an Incident Room is established. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationGardaí had opened more than 1,350 lines of inquiry and taken more than 900 statements by the first anniversary. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeThe arrests were for alleged offences under the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe two people arrested on Monday have been released without charge. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe first two people detained were also released without charge. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherGardaí have no further comment at this time. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThose who died in the blast were aged between five and 59. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe two arrested people are held separately at Garda stations in Donegal. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherBoth are detained under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984. (irishmirror.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 28 May2024
    Arrestedirishmirror.ie, first report
    Two arrested as part of investigation into Creeslough explosion

    Reports the arrest of a man and a woman in their 40s in the ongoing investigation into the Creeslough explosion; no charges are reported.

    suspect, 40s, malesuspect, 40s, female
  2. 28 May2024
    Otheririshtimes.com, follow-up
    Two people arrested in connection with Creeslough explosion investigation released without charge

    Reports the release without charge of two people in their 40s arrested on Monday, after two men were detained in March. Gardaí say the investigation is ongoing and a file will go to the DPP.

    suspect, 40s, malesuspect, 40s, femalesuspect, malesuspect, male