Lagatar24 Desk
London, Dec 10: A big explosion at a residential building in Jersey’s capital St Helieron on Saturday left one person dead and several others missing according to authorities on the Channel island.
The police reported that although the fire was put out, emergency personnel were still doing major work at the scene, which had been roped off, as a line of ambulances waited.
After the incident at around 4:00 am (0400 GMT), about a dozen residents are still missing, Jersey police chief Robin Smith informed reporters, advising people to stay away from the area.
“There are of course several other people that are unaccounted for and therefore a search and rescue operation has commenced.”
“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. It is a pretty devastating scene, I regret to say,” he added.
Approximately a dozen people, according to Smith, were missing, but “you will understand also that number might fluctuate.”
According to the police, specialist resources have been deployed to search for anyone trapped in the debris. Smith reported that one person had passed away and that two further “walking wounded” individuals had been brought to a hospital.
Jersey’s chief minister Kristina Moore expressed grief and said residents displaced by the blast were being found somewhere to stay.
“This is going to take some days and we will keep everyone updated and fully informed, and we will do our very best to ensure everybody is properly looked after,” she said.
