Three dead in explosion at Irish petrol station

Irish police have confirmed there have been three fatalities in an explosion at a petrol station in County Donegal, as the emergency search operation continues at the site of the blast.

Rescuers using sniffer dogs were digging for people trapped in debris on Friday night after a large explosion destroyed the petrol station and damaged apartments, causing multiple injuries.

Police sealed off the area while fire crews, ambulances and helicopters extracted and transported wounded people to a hospital at Letterkenny, 15 miles away. Lights illuminated the scene as operators of digging equipment combed through the rubble.

The coast guard set up a landing zone in Phoenix Park in Dublin, 160 miles away. A specialist rescue team from the Northern Ireland fire service crossed the border to help search for survivors.

Relatives of people believed to have been at the service station had gathered at the scene.

Letterkenny university hospital implemented a major emergency protocol and said it was treating multiple people requiring immediate attention.

A community hall in Creeslough provided shelter for people whose homes were damaged and who were waiting for news of loved ones.