The football stadium in Doncaster, which Denis O'Brien has told the Moriarty tribunal is owned by his family trust, was partially destroyed in what is thought to have been a gas explosion this week. Colm Keenareports.
Two men, who were in the stadium when there was a major explosion at approximately 3am on Wednesday, were taken to hospital. One was arrested after he was discharged and later released on police bail, according to a spokeswoman for South Yorkshire Police.
The second man is still receiving treatment in hospital for burns.
It is not known what the men were doing in the stadium, which is due to be knocked down and the site, close to the Doncaster racecourse, redeveloped. One source said that metal pipes in the grounds could have scrap value. The source said it is thought a cigarette lighter may have sparked the gas explosion.
The stadium, which was built in the 1920s, was home to the Doncaster Rovers football club up to December last year.
The company that owns the lease on the old stadium, Doncaster Rovers Football Club (DRFC) Ltd, was purchased by an Isle of Man company, Westferry Ltd, for £4 million, in 1998.
Mr O'Brien became a director of DRFC Ltd in April 2003. The other directors are Dublin-based stockbroker David Sykes and Dublin-based accountant John Ryall. Both are on the boards of a number of Mr O'Brien's companies.
The tribunal is inquiring into the stadium deal because of a letter written by an English solicitor involved in the purchase in which he referred to former government minister, Michael Lowry, having an involvement.
Mr Lowry has said he had no involvement in the deal. Mr O'Brien has said Westferry belongs to his family trust.
The solicitor concerned, Christopher Vaughan, has said the letter was written in error. He has refused to come to Dublin to give evidence on the matter.
The stadium was purchased after a Northern Ireland businessman Kevin Phelan had noticed the potential to relocate the team and develop the site of the old stadium.
The former majority owner of DRFC, Ken Richardson, was jailed in 1999 in relation to an attempt to have the stadium burned down so it could be redeveloped. There is no suggestion that any such motive played a part in this week's explosion, as the stadium is now vacated.
