PICTURES: Man unaccounted for in Killarney after suspected gas explosion

Updated 7.05pm

A MAN IS unaccounted for and several people have been injured after what is thought to have been a gas explosion in Killarney, Co Kerry this morning.

Gardaí said earlier today that emergency services were at the scene after a fire at a launderette, possibly caused by a gas explosion. The incident took place at around 6.30am this morning.

This evening, a garda spokesperson confirmed that as of this afternoon a local man in the area was still unaccounted for as emergency services are likely to take several hours to get through the debris caused by the explosion.

A number of people sustained ‘minor injuries’ in the incident with several buildings, including a hotel evacuated as a precaution.

Witnesses reported that the windows in a number of premises were blown out in the explosion.

In a statement, the International Hotel, which is adjacent to the launderette, said that the building was evacuated and that all guests and staff were accounted for.

Guests are now being accommodated in neighbouring hotels until emergency services allow access to the building again. The hotel’s general manager, Terence Mulcahy, said that all staff and guests at his hotel are accounted for.

“In the midst of this, it is so great to see Killarney people coming together to support each other. People and businesses here always look after each other and pull together,” he said.

These are some pictures from the scene from earlier today: