‘Emergency services dug with bare hands to rescue people’
Cross-border responders in dignified and massive effort to lift blocks, make tea and pray for those lost in blast
AS news filtered through of the devastating blast, a massive rescue operation swung into operation.
Emergency services from north and south of the border arrived swiftly in Creeslough and joined local residents who desperately tried to free victims from the rubble. They used tractors, diggers, shovels… anything they could to help the operation.
Even those not directly involved in the rescue operation did whatever they could to help.
The sense of solidarity was encapsulated by local Fine Gael TD and resident Joe McHugh, who arrived at the scene shortly after the blast.
‘There has been so much dignity in the response,’ he said. ‘People were making tea and lifting blocks, knowing the hard thing – that they knew people down there.
‘Machinists were working late in tight corners knowing what they would find, what lay before them.’
Gardai and fire officers were joined by PSNI and Northern emergency crews, working side-by-side throughout the night and well into yesterday morning.
The herculean efforts and the strength of the cross-border cooperation was summed up by GRA representative Brendan O’Connor:
‘I’ve never seen anything like the effort put in by the emergency services, north and south, those that dug with their bare hands, those who drove machines and those who fed and watered us,’ he said.
‘We have lost so many members of this small community that there really are no words.’
DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson said of the cross-border effort: ‘This is what being a good neighbour is all about.’
Donegal County Council director of emergency services Garry Martin said no fewer than 65 fire service personnel were dispatched to the scene across Friday and Saturday.
‘Our primary focus yesterday was to lead on the search and recovery of the injured and to stabilise what was a substantially-damaged building including many displaced and broken concrete slabs,’ he said.
Local farmers also joined the effort, helping to remove concrete slabs, blocks and even vehicles that were towed away on the back of a convoy of tractor beds to give responders easier access.
Businesses in the area also rallied to help their stricken community.
The Shandon Hotel in Dunfanaghy said some of its staff had been ‘directly affected’ and it reserved rooms for first responders.
Other local B&Bs and private homes were offered free to anyone in need of accommodation.
Cafés and restaurants opened their doors and stayed open the entire night, ferrying endless supplies of hot drinks to the blast site.
First responders, guards and reporters had constant refills of tea and coffee throughout to help keep their spirits up during the harrowing recovery operation.
Creeslough Childcare opened as a makeshift operations centre, providing emergency childcare, charging facilities, bathrooms, and a cup of coffee and company.
Support services were set up in the village as the community tried to come to terms with the scale of the tragedy on their doorstep.
The Health Service Executive opened a clinic from midday, with psychologists and counsellors available to support families, friends and
‘Accommodation offers flooded in for relatives’
members of the community.
The Department of Education confirmed psychologists had made contact with the community.
A spokesperson said: ‘There will be an inter-agency community response. We are on the ground in communities and schools.’
Gardai confirmed all emergency services staff would be supported with counselling after the traumatic search and rescue operation.
The Bluestack Special Needs Foundation was also on hand to help disabled people and to provide respite for carers.
Offers of free accommodation flooded in for relatives of those caught up in the explosion who were on their way to Creeslough.
In a touching show of solidarity, Fermanagh Community Club announced they were forgoing their daily Wordle challenge as mark of respect to their neighbouring town.
Gerard McFadden, an ex-pat living in Brisbane, launched a Gofundme page to help those caught up in the devastation.
A goal of €20,000 was reached in just hours, with individual donations of up to €2,000 flooding the appeal from big-hearted donors across the world.
Ex-Ryder Cup captain and professional golfer Paul McGinley announced he will donate all proceeds from his 2022 Irish Legends
event by the McGinley Foundation to help people in Creeslough.
He said: ‘For those who followed our event at Rosapenna in August, Creeslough is only a few miles away across the bay.
‘Proceeds from the event will be diverted to help those in need in this awful tragedy.’
niamh.walsh@mailonsunday.ie