At least one dead and several missing after Jersey blast
One person has been killed and several others are missing after a large explosion on the island of Jersey’s capital St Helier, off the coast of northern France.
A three-story building had completely collapsed and a rescue operation was underway, said Robin Smith, the chief officer of the States of Jersey Police.
“Tragically we have one confirmed fatality,” Smith said in a video statement on Saturday.
“It is a pretty devastating scene, I regret to say,” he said.
About a dozen residents are still missing after the incident at approximately 4 am (04:00 GMT), police chief Smith said, urging people to avoid the area.
Smith confirmed that fire services had been called to the property on Friday after residents reported the smell of gas. He did not comment on the cause of the explosion, adding that there will be an investigation.
At least one dead and several missing after Jersey blast
Jersey is a self-governing island country under British Crown Dependency. It is located near the coast of northwest France with a population of 100,000 people.
Jersey Channel islands explosion pic.twitter.com/KqEUDtyqTo
— Daniel Hunt (@just_daniel1411) December 10, 2022
