"This is something that's your worst nightmare."
Multiple people are confirmed to be injured following an explosion that destroyed a filling station in Donegal.
The incident occurred on Friday afternoon (7 October) at the Applegreen Service Station in the area of Creeslough and a number of people are reported to be trapped under the debris.
In a statement on Friday evening, Letterkenny University Hospital confirmed it was dealing with a "serious incident" with multiple injured people requiring immediate attention.
The hospital also said it has moved to Major Emergency Standby as it deals with the incident.
"We are appealing to the public not to come to the Emergency Department unless it is an emergency," its statement reads
"Please contact your GP or NowDoc service in the first instance.
"NowDoc has increased staffing this evening to help deal with any additional demands."
Speaking to RTÉ News Six One, local Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty said that there are still people trapped within the building.
"This is something that's your worst nightmare... At 3.15pm this afternoon, a massive explosion that could be heard from miles around ripped right through this building," he told the programme.
"It's very sombre here. There's silent prayers being said.
"There are people still trapped within the building and the emergency services are doing everything that they can to remove the rubble.
"People are being airlifted away to our hospitals in the region.
"This is a dark, dark cloud over the entire community of Creeslough and further afield today."
In an earlier statement to JOE, Gardaí said they were assisting other emergency services at the scene.
They also asked any road users intending to travel to Creeslough to consider alternative routes.
