Jersey blast: Rescuers say no survivors in the residential building explosion

Three people were confirmed killed after an explosion at a block of flats in Jersey's capital St Helier on Saturday. The blast left several missing, with rescuers searching for those missing through the night but they are now losing hope.

Authorities said on Sunday that the rescuers have abandoned hope of finding survivors as more than a dozen people are feared dead. The blast flattened a three-storey apartment block.

Police chief Robin Smith told a news conference said: "We have three confirmed fatalities and it's fair to say we expect to find more." In the press conference, Smith noted that around 12 residents remained unaccounted for.

"It is with sadness that I am confirming that the search-and-rescue operation has been moved to a recovery operation," He said, further adding that the next phase will involve a "meticulous and painstaking search of the debris" which could take weeks.

The reason behind the explosion has not been identified, but Smith said that a gas leak was the "likely" cause. "But as you often hear the police service say, we keep all our options open," he said.

Chief Fire Officer Paul Brown told a press conference: "We have been searching and we will not stop searching for people's loved ones."

As per the officials, around 40 residents near the destroyed flats had to be relocated on Saturday, and Moore praised the community for rallying around.

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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