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The man in his 30s, originally from Eastern Europe, was pronounced dead by emergency services at the scene.
The Army’s bomb squad was deployed to the scene of the explosion in a Depaul homeless hostel on Little Britain Street after 7pm on Thursday evening.
A bomb disposal unit robot was deployed as examinations of the scene took place in an attempt to find what caused the explosion which claimed a man’s life.
The scene remained sealed-off late on Thursday night.
“Tonight, Defence Forces Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) experts responded to a request for assistance from An Garda Síochána to Little Britain St., Dublin. EOD was requested following the death of a man in an explosion. EOD carried out post blast analysis and clearance, which included a controlled explosion. Once the scene was cleared the scene was handed back to An Garda Síochána,” a Defence Forces spokesman said.
Gardaí are continuing to investigate the circumstances of the explosion in which considerable structural damage was caused inside the room where the blast occurred.
“The precise cause of the explosion is currently under investigation, and the Garda Technical Bureau have commenced a forensic and technical examination with assistance from Army EOD.
The Coroner has been notified, and a post-mortem examination is due to be carried out by the State Pathologist at Dublin City Morgue tomorrow.
Anyone with information that can assist investigating Gardaí is asked to contact the Bridewell Garda Station on 01 6668200 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111,” a Garda spokesperson said late on Thursday night.
The incident occurred at the property on Little Britain Street, Dublin 1, after 3pm.
Gardaí and Dublin Fire Brigade attended the scene and traffic was diverted away from the area.
The explosion happened in the Depaul building which was used to accommodate homeless people.
No other injuries were reported, and other residents of the homeless hostel were evacuated, with Depaul saying they are now trying to accommodate them elsewhere with the help of other organisations.
It is understood that initial inquiries at the scene have determined the explosion was confined to one room, and gardaí are not treating the incident as suspicious.
The Irish Independent has learned that the deceased man is originally from Eastern Europe.
Early garda investigations have established that the fatal explosion originated from an item or items that were underneath the man’s bed.
At this stage the case is still not being treated as a criminal investigation but senior sources say that the matter will not be resolved until a full garda technical examination takes place.
“This explosion originated from underneath that man’s bed,” a source said.
It is understood gardaí at this stage do not believe the explosion was as a result of the manufacture of illegal drugs.
First responders remained at the scene into the evening and an investigation into the cause of the explosion is under way.
One resident of the Depaul homeless shelter told the Irish Independent a wall dividing the men’s and women’s sections of the building collapsed as a result of the explosion.
“I heard an alarm and I heard a bang. As I came out the whole wall just went,” the resident said.
“They used fire extinguishers so they could enter the room but it wasn’t a fire, it was just with dust and everything else.”
The woman said she was one of the last people to leave the building, along with two other women who were unsure what had happened.
“Everything is still back in there, I have nothing. No meds, no nothing. Everything is in there now and I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
The woman said she had “no idea” where she was going to stay and had no way of being contacted as she had no phone. Depaul confirmed late on Thursday night that all service users had been allocated a bed to sleep in following the incident.
A spokesperson for the shelter released a statement saying Depaul are working with the Dublin Region Homeless Executive and NGO partners “to ensure no person will be left without accommodation this evening” following the explosion.
The woman pointed down at her shoes and indicated they weren’t suitable for the night’s freezing temperatures.
Another woman at the scene of the incident said she is a friend of a woman who was injured in a separate incident at the same shelter, a fire that took place in March 2022.
“We live in Focus Ireland George’s Hill, the residents are all in our church now because it doesn’t get used. So if they have to put sleeping bags on the floor they probably will,” the woman said.
Depaul provides 82 bed spaces at the Little Britain Street shelter.
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In a statement, the Depaul said: “Depaul can confirm that there was an incident this afternoon in our Little Britain Street service. It was a localised incident confined to one room.
“Our heart goes out to the service user who lost their life, as well as their family and service users who were in the building at the time. This was an isolated incident, confined to one room and no other service users were physically harmed in this incident. We wish to thank the emergency services, DRHE, and our NGO partners for their assistance in the emergency response”.
In a statement, gardaí said: “Gardaí and the Dublin Fire Brigade responded to an incident at a residential premises on Little Britain Street, Dublin 7, shortly after 3:30 pm on Thursday, 18th January 2024, following reports of an explosion inside the property.
“One adult male sustained fatal injuries, and there are no reports of any other injuries.
“Residents at the premises have been evacuated, and a cordon, along with local traffic diversions, are currently in place.
“The precise cause of the explosion is currently under investigation, and the Garda Technical Bureau will examine the scene.
“No further information is available at this time.”
Dublin Fire Brigade and the Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE) this evening said: “At 1515 hours today Dublin Fire Brigade received an emergency call reporting a serious incident at a premises on Little Britain Street. Firefighter/Advanced Paramedics from Phibsborough, Tara Street and North Strand fire stations responded and the incident was under control by 1535 hours.
“In total five fire engines were mobilised to the scene along with a District Officer. The assistance of ESB Networks, Gas Networks Ireland and An Garda Síochána was requested and the scene was handed over to Gardaí at 1615 hours.
“The DRHE was notified this afternoon of a serious incident at a supported hostel in the city. The incident occurred within the building and was confined to one room. All residents are being evacuated on a temporary basis to allow for a full assessment. Our priority is to safely re-accommodate all residents tonight. Our sincere thanks to our NGO partners, An Garda Síochána and Dublin Fire Brigade who are assisting on the ground.”
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