Two people were hurt, a guesthouse was severely damaged and church windows were blown in when a gas explosion occurred at the seaside resort town of Lahinch, Co Clare, on Saturday.
The explosion happened at 5.25 a.m. at Galvin's Guest House and Pub in Church Street. It is now thought that the building's own gas supply ignited, causing the early morning blast which was heard for miles around.
Gardaí have confirmed that the explosion was "gas related".
However, investigators are also examining the possibility that the explosion was caused by methane gas from the town's sewer system following complaints to Clare County Council in recent weeks of a foul smell in the area. However, gardaí say this
was unlikely to be the cause. The blast caused the partial collapse of the guest house, and resulted in thousands of euro worth of damage to the nearby church. The Co Kildare couple injured in the explosion were released from hospital hours after the incident.Paul and Noreen Nolan, from Derrinturn near Carbury, who had booked into the guest house on Friday, escaped with minor injuries when the first floor room in which they were sleeping collapsed. Mr Nolan sustained a suspected broken ankle while he and his wife received stitches to various cuts. Council engineers have visited the town several times this month to investigate claims from local people that they could smell sewerage in areas of the town particularly in the evening time.
It is expected that a full examination of the site of the explosion will not take place for several days after gardaí were warned they should not enter the site until engineers from the Health and Safety Authority have declared it safe.
It may be at least a week before diggers will have completed an operation to tear down the remainder of the extension to the building which partially collapsed in the explosion.
Gardaí have placed a security cordon around the site pending the completion of a technical examination of the scene.
A preliminary examination of the site was carried out shortly after the incident.
Engineers from the Health and Safety Authority visited the scene yesterday.
Mass-goers arrived at the Church of the Immaculate Conception yesterday to see the extent of the damage caused to the building. Several 12-foot high stained glass windows on the east side of the church were blown in.
Many of the windows, which are up to 50 years old, were donated to the church and cost as much as £1,000 at the time.