THE SCREAMS I'LL ALWAYS HEAR
The screams I'll always hear'
A bus driver who ferried some of those horrifically injured in the Omagh bombing to hospital told has told how he will never forget their screams.
Michael McNally (40) described how he drove his bus into the centre of the carnage and tried to get as many injured as possible on board.
He said the journey to the hospital, only a few minutes away, was the longest he will ever make in his life.
"It was like a scene from hell," he said.
"I wasn't able to drive fast because people were screaming in pain. I was only able to go at about 30mph.
"As we went over the ramps at the hospital, I could hear the roars of pain."
Mr McNally, who is from Omagh and knew many of the casualties, had been at the town's bus depot when he heard the explosion. He and another driver Aidan McBride rushed to the scene.
"As we got to the traffic lights the sight was horrendous," he said, shaking.
"What we saw was impossible to imagine. There were bodies lying, people screaming,people digging at buildings with their bare hands trying to get people out from under the rubble.
"It was just like a scene from hell. I just stopped the bus in the middle of the road. There were four ambulances in front of me, and we just tried to get people on board."
He said: "People were wandering about in total shock, others were screaming and lying in the road. People were carrying the injured in their arms." He said they carried the injured into the hospital casualty department but it was so full that they had to start taking them into the outpatients' ward.
"It was crazy. There were people lying everywhere and blood everywhere like you wouldn't believe," said Mr McNally, who is married with a teenage son and daughter.
He added: "Usually if I saw blood I would run a mile, but this just had to be done.
"It's hard to believe what people can do in these circumstances. So many ordinary people helped out. It's amazing what people can manage to do at times like this."
A bus driver who ferried some of those horrifically injured in the Omagh bombing to hospital told has told how he will never forget their screams.
Michael McNally (40) described how he drove his bus into the centre of the carnage and tried to get as many injured as possible on board.
He said the journey to the hospital, only a few minutes away, was the longest he will ever make in his life.
"It was like a scene from hell," he said.
"I wasn't able to drive fast because people were screaming in pain. I was only able to go at about 30mph.
"As we went over the ramps at the hospital, I could hear the roars of pain."
Mr McNally, who is from Omagh and knew many of the casualties, had been at the town's bus depot when he heard the explosion. He and another driver Aidan McBride rushed to the scene.
"As we got to the traffic lights the sight was horrendous," he said, shaking.
"What we saw was impossible to imagine. There were bodies lying, people screaming,people digging at buildings with their bare hands trying to get people out from under the rubble.
"It was just like a scene from hell. I just stopped the bus in the middle of the road. There were four ambulances in front of me, and we just tried to get people on board."
He said: "People were wandering about in total shock, others were screaming and lying in the road. People were carrying the injured in their arms." He said they carried the injured into the hospital casualty department but it was so full that they had to start taking them into the outpatients' ward.
"It was crazy. There were people lying everywhere and blood everywhere like you wouldn't believe," said Mr McNally, who is married with a teenage son and daughter.
He added: "Usually if I saw blood I would run a mile, but this just had to be done.
"It's hard to believe what people can do in these circumstances. So many ordinary people helped out. It's amazing what people can manage to do at times like this."
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH
Ref: BT/0063
Published Date: 18-Aug-98
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