A TRUCK RUN organised by one of the first responders to the Creeslough tragedy is taking place today in Co Donegal to raise money for the victim’s families.
Ten people were killed following an explosion in the Co Donegal village on the afternoon of Friday, 7 October.
Today’s truck run has been organised by Colin Kilpatrick, who was one of the first people on the scene the day of the explosion.
Speaking after the explosion, he told PA: “I was making delivery at the creamery when the explosion happened and I fell over but I presumed the lorry or the trailer had a problem, that there was a blow-out in the tyre.
“I got out of the lorry and saw the shop and then I knew what happened.
“We took lorries up and worked right through until everyone was out. Everyone was taking turns to get stuff moved out of the way.”
Speaking to The Journal, Dean McLaughlin, who has helped to organise today’s truck run, said that today’s event was Kilpatrick’s idea and that Kilpatrick “felt that he wanted to give even more back to the community”.
The truck run will leave from Bernard Long & Sons Transport yard in Ballybofey and travel to Creeslough, via Letterkenny.
They will then travel to the Silver Tassie Hotel via Milford for an auction to raise funds for the victims of the Creeslough tragedy.
Kilpatrick and McLaughlin are both employees of Bernard Long & Sons Transport and McLaughlin said that the event couldn’t have been organised without the help of their employer.
While in Creeslough, Kilpatrick will lay a wreath for the victims of the explosion.
McLaughlin told The Journal that the response has been overwhelming and that their “phones have been hopping all week”.
He’s anticipating up to 300 lorries and thanked the lorry community for coming on board, as well as individuals and businesses from right across the country who have donated towards the auction.
Meanwhile, gardaí have advised motorists to expect delays along the route and have asked motorists to leave extra time for any journeys.
Gardaí will be on hand at all of the locations along the route to assist with traffic management and will also provide an escort for the trucks.
A garda spokesperson added that they will do their best to ensure that disruption to other traffic is kept to a minimum but have asked for motorists to plan ahead if they plan on travelling this route.
Meanwhile, a documentary will air on TG4 this Wednesday at 9.30pm about the response to the Creeslough explosion.
Colin Kilpatrick will be featured on the opening episode of the new current affairs series entitled Iniúchadh TG4.
Digger driver Henry Gallagher will also be featured on the programme.
Gallagher remained in the cab of his excavator for twenty-four hours removing rubble from the collapsed building until the last body of ten victims was recovered.
“You just see a river of high vis vests and I know that among that, there are families waiting on news,” Gallagher told TG4.
“The only way that they are going to get the news of a loved one being taken out, is for me to get in.”
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