Jersey explosion toll rises to eight, one still missing since residential blast: Cops

At least eightpeople werekilled and one was still 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.An eighth person has been confirmed dead following an explosion at a block of flats in Jersey, said police officials whobelieve that one resident is still unaccounted for since the blast on Saturday morning.

UK-based media outlet The Sun had mentioned in its earlier report that the blast was so strong that "it was picked up by earthquake monitors". Reports mentioned that a three-storey building was completely destroyed in the blast.

Police released the list with the namesof Ken Ralph, 72, Jane Ralph, 71, Peter Bowler, 72, Raymond Brown, 71, Romeu de Almeida, 67, Louise de Almeida, 64, Derek Ellis, 61, Sylvia Ellis, 73, and Billy Marsden, 63, andsaid the Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) process must be "carefully considered and managed in a dignified and compassionate way" before formal identification can happen.

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.

“We now have, I regret to say, three fatalities,” Robin Smith, Chief Officer of the States of Jersey Police, had told a news conference soon after the explosion.He said 20 to 30 people had been evacuated and that two woundedhad received hospital treatment.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

Statesof 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."

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.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.