Creeslough digger driver's 24-hr search for survivors

Sight of heartbroken relatives made heroic volunteer work through night you.

- BY DANNY DE VAAL

A VOLUNTEER who spent 24 hours searching for survivors in his digger after the Creeslough explosion said he was spurred on by the sight of relatives in his rear-view mirror.

Henry Gallagher got involved in the rescue and recovery operation after a plea from the fire brigade and didn't stop until the last body was removed.

The 47-year-old from Treantagh in Donegal recalled seeing families at the scene following the blast at the Applegreen service station and said the only way they would get news is if he kept digging and removing rubble.

Breaking his silence for the first time since the tragedy on October 7 last year, he said: You just see a river of high vis vests behind me] and I know that among that, there are families waiting on news.

“The only way that they are going to get the news of a loved one being taken out, is for me to get in.

“I wanted them out. I would have stayed in that digger for ages after that just until I got the bodies out’