A young girl is among 10 people confirmed dead following an explosion at a petrol station in Donegal, in what has been described as a “freak accident”.

The victims are four men, three women, a teenage boy, a teenage girl, and a primary school aged girl.

Police confirmed that all victims were from the Creeslough area where the blast ripped through the Applegreen service station and convenience store causing widespread damage, including to surrounding buildings and cars, on Friday.

Search and rescue efforts are continuing but police have said they are not expecting further casualties.

A Garda spokesman also said there are “no outstanding reports of unaccounted for persons”.

Superintendent David Kelly from Milford Gardai said in a news conference on Saturday: “At this moment in time we have to keep an open mind as a police service as to how we investigate this, but our information at this point in time is pointing towards a tragic accident.

“That said, being a garda, I have to take a holistic and overall viewpoint, but that’s where we’re going at the moment.”

Gardai said the explosion caused the largest number of civilian casualties seen in decades in the region.

Mr Kelly earlier said: “This is a tragedy for our community. There are families left devastated.

“I want to offer, on behalf of myself and my colleagues that attended the scene, our very sincere condolences.”

John Joe McGowan, chief ambulance officer for the western region of Ireland’s national ambulance service, said words cannot describe the efforts of emergency services in Creeslough.

“Each and every one of you have gone above and beyond in your response,” he said, extending particular thanks to the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service and Air Ambulance for their support.

“We will continue our efforts and work with our colleagues in the gardai and the fire service until all recovery efforts have concluded.”

Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin said it was an “unspeakable tragedy” and pledged support to help it get through the “enormous trauma”.

The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service has now left Creeslough after helping with the rescue effort in the wake of the explosion.

Sniffer dogs have been used and a digger has been sifting through the debris, with rubble being taken away by trailer.

At one point on Friday night, all machinery was turned off and onlookers were asked to remain completely silent as workers attempted to detect survivors beneath the debris.

‘Within seconds the area was covered in ash’

Having announced three fatalities in the aftermath of the tragedy, Irish police confirmed the latest deaths on Saturday.

No indication has been given on the suspected cause of the explosion.

A witness to the blast, Siobhan Carr, said: “Within seconds the area was covered in ash and a puff of smoke.

“From that, we kind of run out to see what had happened and within seconds, people from the community had just come running up the road, cars stopped, people getting out of cars, running towards the building to see who could help.”

‘It’s an unspeakable tragedy’

Mr Martin, who plans to visit the scene, said: “I think the entire nation is shocked at what has happened, it’s an unspeakable tragedy.

“Our thoughts and our prayers, our hearts go out to the people of Creeslough, to the families of those who have lost their lives and who have been injured, and to the entire community who are numbed and shocked by what has happened.”

Ireland’s deputy premier Leo Varadkar said: “This unthinkable tragedy happened in a community which we will all be familiar with, to families who were going about their daily lives like we do.

“This freak accident has left many empty chairs at dinner tables. It is just too hard to fathom.”

‘Explosion ripped the heart out of this community’

Ireland’s President Michael D Higgins said: “This tragedy is a terrible blow to a community that is closely knit and where every loss and injury will be felt by every member of the community and far beyond.”

Applegreen founder and chief executive Joe Barrett said: “This is a hugely tragic event, and I would like to offer our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of the deceased, and to the entire community in Creeslough.

“We are utterly shocked and saddened at what happened yesterday. I would also like to offer our thanks to the emergency services and first responders who are dealing with the incident.”

Donegal TD Pearse Doherty said: “This explosion not only ripped the heart out of this building, but ripped the heart out of this community and left a huge amount of devastation.”

‘Tsunami of grief’

Prayers were said in the local church in Creeslough on Saturday morning, where the congregation was told there was a “tsunami” of grief in the community.

Father John Joe Duffy said: “From our hearts, with all our hearts and with all our souls, we pray for those who have died, we pray for those who were injured, we pray for all who were involved… we pray for those who are there continuing to help and have helped since yesterday.

“We pray also for those family members who are bereaved and we pray for those who still are waiting news.

“We keep them all very much in our hearts.”