At least one person was killed and several others were reported missing after an explosion at a block of flats in Jersey’s capital St Helier on Saturday (December 10), police on the Channel island said. UK-based media outlet The Sun mentioned in its report that the blast was so strong that “it was picked up by earthquake monitors”.
Emergency services were rushed to the scene as the search and rescue operations for the missing are underway. The police also noted that a fire was put out but the authorities are still conducting “significant work”. A line of ambulances was present at the scene.
States of Jersey Police said in a statement posted on Twitter: “Following the explosion this morning at Haut du Mont, Pier Road, a number of residents are still missing. Emergency services are working at the scene and have commenced a surface search of the site.”
Following the explosion this morning at Haut du Mont, Pier Road a number of residents are still missing. Emergency services are working at the scene and have commenced a surface search of the site. Relatives are being contacted by Family Liaison Officers.
— Jersey Fire & Rescue (@JsyFire) December 10, 2022
As quoted by local news sites, Robin Smith, chief officer at States of Jersey Police said: “There are of course a number of other people that are unaccounted for and therefore a search and rescue operation has commenced.”
Smith didn’t comment on the cause of the explosion, but he stated that a night before that blast, fire services were called to the property after residents had reported the smell of gas.
Jersey is a British Crown Dependency with its own financial and legal systems and a resident population of just over 100,000 people.
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