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Irish man killed in Perth shopping centre blast named

Police and firefighters at the scene of an explosion at the Galleria Shopping Centre in Morley, Perth
Police and firefighters at the scene of an explosion at the Galleria Shopping Centre in Morley, Perth

An Irish man killed in an explosion in Perth has been named as Alan Cummins from Firhouse in Dublin.

The 30-year-old man was one of two who died in the incident which occurred in an electrical transformer room at the Galleria shopping complex in the city.

Police in western Australia said Mr Cummins died at the scene while three other men were taken to Royal Perth Hospital with serious injuries.

"Tragically, one of the three men taken to hospital has since passed away," police said in a statement.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has said that it is providing consular assistance to the Irishman's family.

The Australian authorities have given no further details.

Witnesses spoke of their horror at seeing the men, thought to be working in an area near the electrical transformer, come running out after the morning explosion.

"I came driving in and saw three people come running out... they were on fire," Jonathan McDonagh told Australian Associated Press, saying he tried to help the injured, taking off his shirt and using it to put out the flames.

"I had the radio on and didn't hear the bang, but I saw a puff of smoke.

"One fella was dead on the ground. I saw another moving around, obviously not OK. I gave him a good helping hand, as much as I could.

"They were really burnt badly."

Another witness Harry Barugh said he thought at first a car had exploded.

"But it was a lot worse than that, it was the worst sight I have ever seen in my entire life," he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

"It was just 'whoosh' and then there were these guys just coming out and hitting the deck and then ripping their gear off."

A woman who suffered smoke inhalation was also taken to hospital while several other people were treated for shock and smoke inhalation at the scene in the Perth suburb of Morely.

Fire and emergency services cordoned off the area with investigations into what caused the blast under way.

"We believe that they possibly were workers who were working within that transformer area of the shopping centre," police inspector Rob Harrison said.