A survivor of the Omagh bombing has told how he placed sheets over victims’ bodies during the carnage in the aftermath of the explosion. Ian Ferguson, who was working in his family business on the day a massive car bomb devastated the centre of the Co Tyrone town, told the Omagh Bombing Inquiry that his life was changed forever. The inquiry has moved into a new phase and is hearing from witnesses and people who were injured in the 1998 Real IRA attack.
The public inquiry was set up by the Government to examine whether the explosion, which killed 29 people including the mother of unborn twins, could have been prevented by the UK authorities. Giving evidence, Mr Ferguson said he was working in the Spick And Span dry cleaning business on the day of the bombing. He said it was a “typical Saturday morning” and people in the street outside his shop were “happy and joyful”.
Mr Ferguson said that following an alert he was preparing to leave his shop when the bomb exploded. He said: “The rails with the garments at the back of the shop fell to the floor. The smoke alarms and screaming started. “The two girls I had working with me, they started to panic. “I have a back yard so I took them out to ensure they were safe.”. Mr Ferguson said he took his staff members away from the scene and left them in the care of a police officer before returning to his shop.
He said he noticed that the engine of the car which had exploded was still on fire. Mr Ferguson said: “I went back into the shop and took two fire extinguishers. “Me and another gentleman, I don’t know who it was, started to put the blaze out. “From that, it was just carnage, the screaming and crying, the smell of smoke, it was just terrible. “I started then to help people, lifting them off the ground.
“I remember lifting a lady on to a piece of wood and using it as a stretcher to take her down the street. “I don’t know how long but I spent most of the day carrying people.”. Mr Ferguson said he then went back to his shop to let his parents know he was safe but was so disorientated he could not remember their phone number, so called a friend to contact his parents. He said: “I went back out to help again. There were people bleeding, so I brought towels, blankets, anything I could get from the shop to use as bandages to help people.
“I don’t know how long it lasted. I met the late Father (Kevin) Mullan on the street. “He was giving people the last rites and I was putting sheets over them.”. He added: “I went home that evening, I can’t remember what time. “I felt so thankful to be home. A lot of people went to town that day and never came home.”. Mr Ferguson told the inquiry he had been fighting against depression ever since and does not like to be in large crowds.
