SCENE OF CARNAGE WORSE THAN ANY HORROR FILM
SCENE OF CARNAGE 'WORSE THAN ANY HORROR FILM'
HOSPITAL ROAD man, Mr. Joe McDonald was in C. A. Anderson's shop at Campsie when the bomb went off.
He described what happened next: "My wife had come down a couple of minutes before it and then all of a sudden there was a bang and the ceiling came in around us. I ran out of the shop and up the street. I was choking with the smoke and all I could see was carnage.
"There were bodies everywhere. I saw a woman lying in the street, there was no movement in her, and I and pulled her onto the pavement.
"Then I went over to beside McElroy's shop and I saw a girl holding her side. I looked and saw a piece of metal in her side. I pulled it out and got a piece of old cloth and stuffed it against her side.
"I asked her 'are you all right'. The blood was pouring from her face but she was in shock and said nothing.
"Up the street there was a child's buggy blown to pieces on the side of the street. Everywhere there were bodies lying.
"The first of the ambulances came in. They were picking up the injured people at the junction, but unfortunately they did not know there were casualties much worse further up the street.
"Anderson's van came on the scene and started to take the bodies to the hospital. There was a fleet of cars, other vans, everyone was taking bodies.
Paddy McGowan, the councillor, who was on the scene very quickly did an excellent job. I saw him working with people trying to get them patched up for the ambulances.
"I have seen horror films, but there is nothing in my life to what I saw up that street.
"This is the worst carnage I have ever seen in my life and I think it is the worst carnage ever in Northern Ireland.
"Whoever did that - I don't know how they can sleep at night.
"They say we have a peace process - I voted 'yes' for the peace process, but as far as I am concerned it is all blown up in smoke today
"The people in Omagh Town have a great community relations. We all worked together through everything. Omagh people never fought and never got involved in the troubles and why should they turn around and destroy the shoppers in Omagh when they were trying to go about their business.
"There is no reason in the wide world why they should have suffered as they did today."
He said it was hard to describe everything that happened. Many people had lost limbs and injured and carers alike were in a state of shock.
"The people of Omagh really went into action. They came in their fancy cars and took people saturated with blood to hospital.
"The community relations of Omagh were excellent and when this settles down the people of Omagh will still be united."
HOSPITAL ROAD man, Mr. Joe McDonald was in C. A. Anderson's shop at Campsie when the bomb went off.
He described what happened next: "My wife had come down a couple of minutes before it and then all of a sudden there was a bang and the ceiling came in around us. I ran out of the shop and up the street. I was choking with the smoke and all I could see was carnage.
"There were bodies everywhere. I saw a woman lying in the street, there was no movement in her, and I and pulled her onto the pavement.
"Then I went over to beside McElroy's shop and I saw a girl holding her side. I looked and saw a piece of metal in her side. I pulled it out and got a piece of old cloth and stuffed it against her side.
"I asked her 'are you all right'. The blood was pouring from her face but she was in shock and said nothing.
"Up the street there was a child's buggy blown to pieces on the side of the street. Everywhere there were bodies lying.
"The first of the ambulances came in. They were picking up the injured people at the junction, but unfortunately they did not know there were casualties much worse further up the street.
"Anderson's van came on the scene and started to take the bodies to the hospital. There was a fleet of cars, other vans, everyone was taking bodies.
Paddy McGowan, the councillor, who was on the scene very quickly did an excellent job. I saw him working with people trying to get them patched up for the ambulances.
"I have seen horror films, but there is nothing in my life to what I saw up that street.
"This is the worst carnage I have ever seen in my life and I think it is the worst carnage ever in Northern Ireland.
"Whoever did that - I don't know how they can sleep at night.
"They say we have a peace process - I voted 'yes' for the peace process, but as far as I am concerned it is all blown up in smoke today
"The people in Omagh Town have a great community relations. We all worked together through everything. Omagh people never fought and never got involved in the troubles and why should they turn around and destroy the shoppers in Omagh when they were trying to go about their business.
"There is no reason in the wide world why they should have suffered as they did today."
He said it was hard to describe everything that happened. Many people had lost limbs and injured and carers alike were in a state of shock.
"The people of Omagh really went into action. They came in their fancy cars and took people saturated with blood to hospital.
"The community relations of Omagh were excellent and when this settles down the people of Omagh will still be united."
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/0016
Published Date: 20-Aug-98
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