Jersey explosion: One dead and more missing in blast hours after residents reported gas smell

Destruction makes it ‘hard to properly assess’ number of missing, chief minister says

At least one person has been killed and around a dozen are missing after an explosion at a block of flats in Jersey - hours after residents reported smelling gas to the fire service.

A large blast ripped through the building in St Helier in the early hours of Saturday.

Two have been taken to hospital after the explosion struck the residential building in the capital of Jersey.

Officials said it was difficult to properly assess the number of people missing due to the destruction of the block of flats.

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The fire has been extinguished at the scene, where a search operation is underway. CCTV footage captured the moment the blast struck the residential building at around 4am on Saturday.

Robin Smith, the chief officer at Jersey Police, gave an update on the numbers affected by the blast on Pier Road in a press conference later that morning.

He said at least one person was confirmed dead. Two others - described as “walking wounded” - had been taken to hospital.

An explosion has ripped through a block of flats in Jersey (States of Jersey Police)

“There are of course a number of other people that are unaccounted for and therefore a search and rescue operation has commenced,” Mr Smith said.

He said the fire service had been called to the area on Friday night after residents reported smelling gas. “As part of an investigation that will look into that, that will be part of the mix and whether or not there was a safety issue,” Mr Smith told a press conference.

He described the scene as “devastating”. “We have a three-storey building that has completely collapsed - described from a demolition point of view as a pancake that has dropped almost straight down,” he said.

“There is also damage to a nearby building as well, another block of flats that the fire service needs to make safe.”

He added between 20 and 30 people evacuated from the area had been taken to St Helier Town Hall.

Kristina Moore, Jersey’s chief minister, said: “Given the destruction of the building it is hard to properly assess the numbers [missing].”

She added: “We are looking in the region of around a dozen currently, but you will appreciate also that number could fluctuate.”

Jersey Police said the blast took place at the Haut du Mont block of flats.

“Emergency services are working at the scene and have commenced a surface search of the site. Relatives are being contacted by Family Liaison Officers,” it said on Saturday morning.

Additional reporting by Press Association