Fire fighter describes ‘anarchy and destruction’ after the bomb

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A fire fighter, who participated in the view of the Omag bomb, compared it after an image from the Vietnam War.

Paddy Quin, who is a current commander for the Northern Ireland Fire Service in Omag district, was giving evidence to investigate the 1998 real Ira bombing.

The twenty -nine people were killed, including nine children, a woman pregnant with twins and three generations of a family, when the explosion exploded through the County Tyron City.

At that time, an on-call officer Mr. Quin told the investigation that there was nothing as a fire fighter in his 29 years, since he replied that the Omag bomb “comes anytime anywhere”.

He heard the explosion while working at his carpet shop and was the first to reach the fire station.

Mr. Quinn said that no firefighting was worried because there was no mention of the number of casualties and he believed that the area was cleared.

He thought that they were going to deal with damaged buildings and clean the debris or possibly set fire.

He was on the first fire engine to go to Market Street and arrived in a scene of “total chaos, devastation, genocide”.

Referring to a famous picture of the Vietnam war, he said: “There was a dust of a cloud and a young girl was nervous on the road, and this is just the image that I am from Omag.”

He described the investigation on the faces of his fire service colleagues as “mistrust” and “anxiety”.

He said that he was local firefighters working in his hometown, who were worried that his family members were caught in a bomb.

“They were asking, my wife, my son, where is my daughter?” He said.

“But he continued to work that he was called to do and he was helping others and searching for others.”

He recalled to help an injured woman on an ulceterbus and the floor of the bus was red with blood instead of blue.

Paddy Quinn mentioned a saying within the fire service, which he said that he applies to the experience of him and others in Omgh.

“The saying:” The fire fighter may leave the incident, but the incident does not leave the fire fighter, “he said in the investigation.

He explained that he has now been trained to assist and advise his colleagues in stress management and emotional trauma.

Paramedic Richard Quigley traveled to the scene from Altnagelvin Hospital.

When he arrived, he said that it was “strangely quiet” because patients were already taken to the hospital.

He remembered that the smell of beer flowing below the road from the remains of the bomb site.

He said it was the first blast in which he had participated and he was involved in recovering the bodies who were taken to shops and a street.

He said, “We used all the bags we have,” and fire fighting service and more sources than the army. ,

The bag was then placed on the stretcher.

“I physically examined the body bags whether I could recognize which end head or leg.

“What was shocking me was not able to clearly identify the head or patients’ feet.”

The remains were then taken to a temporary morgue to an nearby army camp.

Mr. Quigley said: “I remember that looking at the number of body bags and each had its own area, with a chair finally in all lines.

“The size of the gym and the number of body bags on the floor was something that should have been seen in only one film.”

Mr. Quigley said that he was not able to return to Market Street or go to Memorial Garden.

“I can still remember the smell of beer from the corner of the road.

“Did I ever pass through the street, the bodies were kept till the end? Perhaps never.

“I need? Maybe I will stop.

“I will never forget that day because this is my sister’s birthday and will always trigger memories.”

Later on Monday, the inquiry will be heard from James Barker’s family, who was a 12 -year -old student at Bankrana Primary School, who was killed in an attack during a school visit.

His family first described him as “a happy boy with an infectious smile”.

Her mother, Donna Maria Barker, transferred to England 18 months after the explosion and James’s body was re -prepared at Surrey’s Vibridge to her former school.

She said that she “never felt how green her eyes were” until she had to identify her body, saying: “That image will be with me for the rest of my life.”

Omag Town Center was destroyed in August 1998 Biggest single torture In the history of troubles in northern Ireland.

The people of Northern Ireland came after less than three months after voting yes for the Good Friday Agreement.

Three days after the attack, the real IRA issued a statement claiming responsibility for the explosion.

It apologized to the “civilian” victims and said that its goals were commercial.

Nearly 27 years later, no one has been convicted by a criminal court to complete the murders.

In 2009, a judge ruled that four people – Michael McCwit, Liam Campbell, Kolm Murphy and Seemas Daily were all responsible to the Omgh bomb.

Four people were ordered to pay a total of £ 1.6M in loss to relatives, but the appeal against the ruling delay the compensation process.

A fifth man, Seemas McCena, was acquitted in civil action and later died in a roof accident in 2013.