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Cookstown: Two dead following St Patrick's Day event at hotel | |
(32 minutes later) | |
Two people have died following a St Patrick's Day event at a hotel in Cookstown, County Tyrone. | |
A third person has been brought to hospital following the incident at the Greenvale Hotel. | |
The emergency services were called to the scene at around 21:30 GMT on Sunday. | |
The NI Ambulance Service said it was called following reports several people at the venue on the Drum Road were unwell. | |
Paramedics, doctors and five emergency crews were dispatched to the scene. | Paramedics, doctors and five emergency crews were dispatched to the scene. |
It is understood a large crowd of young people were in attendance. | |
In a Facebook post at 22:41 GMT, the PSNI asked parents to collect their children from the hotel immediately. | In a Facebook post at 22:41 GMT, the PSNI asked parents to collect their children from the hotel immediately. |
It had been suggested that several young people had sustained crush injuries. | |
However, a journalist at the scene, Brendan Marshall, said the DJ who was performing at the event insisted to him that this was not the case. | |
"He confirmed that - contrary to the rumours that had been circulating - there had been no crushing and nothing had collapsed," Mr Marshall told BBC News NI. | |
"He told me that a number of young people had become seriously ill. He said one young person was brought to him by a friend to have their pulse checked. | |
"The DJ then shone a light in their eyes." | |
At the scene | |
by Mark Simpson, BBC News Northern Ireland | |
There is a huge sense of shock around the town. | |
Reports began circulating at 10pm that people had died. The news of two fatalities was confirmed by police just after midnight. | |
There were distressing scenes as some people who knew those who died broke down in tears at the police cordon. | |
A representative of the nearby Glenavon Hotel said the PSNI borrowed its defibrillator. | A representative of the nearby Glenavon Hotel said the PSNI borrowed its defibrillator. |
Speaking from outside the hotel, UUP councillor Trevor Wilson said: "I'm getting conflicting reports from people about what exactly happened, but there's clearly a deep sense of shock here tonight that an event for young people just wanting to celebrate St Patrick's night went so horribly wrong." | |
Colin Neill, chief executive of Hospitality Ulster, said: "We are monitoring the situation closely and echo the PSNI appeal to parents to make contact with their children and collect them immediately from the venue." | |
The Drum Road remains closed with diversions in place. | The Drum Road remains closed with diversions in place. |