A man in his 30s died in the blast.
Gardaí believe that the explosion at a homeless hostel in Dublin on Thursday (18 January) that killed one person was caused by a bomb, according to reports.
The explosion occurred shortly after 3pm at the Depaul Homeless Hostel on Little Britain Street in Dublin city centre.
In a statement on Thursday evening, Gardaí confirmed that a man in his 30s sustained fatal injuries in the blast and was pronounced dead at the scene.
“The explosion was confined to one room within the property, and no one else was injured. Residents at the premises were evacuated,” they added.
“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.”
Gardaí reportedly believe bomb was cause of fatal explosion at Dublin homeless hostel
According to multiple outlets on Friday morning, while it had been suspected initially that the blast was caused by a gas heater, investigators now believe it was the result of an explosive device such as a pipe bomb.
The reports also state that the suspected device was underneath the man’s bed and exploded while he was in the room.
Depaul have confirmed that the man who died was one of its service users, while several outlets have reported that he was from Eastern Europe.
“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 also said.
Images via Sam Boal and RollingNews.ie
Read more:
- One person killed in Dublin hostel explosion
- Fundraisers set up for man who sustained ‘serious burns’ in Rathgar workshop fire
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ podcast – listen to the latest episode now!
