Three lifeless, a number of lacking after explosion and fireplace in Channel Island of Jersey condominium buildingDecember 10, 2022

An explosion and fireplace in an condominium constructing on the Channel Island of Jersey killed at the very least three individuals and left a number of lacking, police stated Saturday.

Robin Smith, the chief officer of the States of Jersey Police, stated throughout a information convention that “round a dozen” residents had been lacking following the blast within the city of St Helier.

Jersey, the biggest of the Channel Islands, is a self-governing dependency of the UK situated off the coast of northern France within the English Channel.

Smith stated a three-story constructing had “fully collapsed” and there was additionally injury to a close-by constructing. He described the scene as “devastating” and warned there may very well be extra fatalities.

Smith stated the fireplace service had been referred to as to the realm the evening earlier than after residents reported smelling fuel.

He stated police would examine “whether or not or not there was a security subject” with pure fuel strains.

Police stated in a press release that whereas the fireplace was extinguished, emergency service companies had been finishing up important work” on the scene.

Authorities suggested Jersey residents to solely search emergency hospital care within the occasion of an precise medical emergency and to keep away from the realm of the blast, which was cordoned off.