15 Killed in Jersey explosion

15 Killed in Jersey explosion: Criminal Charges Possible

Three confirmed dead after St Helier apartment blast, police 'expect to find more

A gas explosion that destroyed an apartment building in the heart of Jersey's capital, St. Helier, kills 15 people and may face criminal charges.

Three people were confirmed dead, but "twelve" more were missing and the island's fire chief, Paul Brown, warned that he would no longer be leading the rescue effort.

An investigation into the fire department's actions began hours before the 4 a.m. blast Saturday, with efforts to identify and recover remains, which Brown said could take weeks.

Firefighters were called to the scene at 8:36 p.m. Friday after residents reported a suspected gas leak, less than eight hours before the three-story Haut du Mont apartment building on Pierre Road was engulfed in fire.

Brown said he would be "transparent" about the events leading up to the explosion and that something had gone "horribly wrong", but would not say if any staff had been suspended.

"Under no circumstances will we provide information on employment matters," he said. “This is not my job in an operational situation. But my promise is that we are now focused on the challenges that lie ahead and the search work that supports our fellow emergency services and the much wider community. And openness and transparency are absolutely guaranteed.”

When asked if a criminal investigation could be launched, Jersey Police Chief Robin Smith said, "We don't rule anything out, and we don't rule anything out."

“There are three confirmed deaths. And I think it's fair to say expect to find more. We said earlier that there would be about a dozen or so, but you will understand how difficult it is to make such an estimate. … We hope we never reach this number, but this is the number we are working towards.”

Smith said all immediate family members were informed and there were early indications that the explosion was a gas explosion, but this was not confirmed.

’ It seems so,” he said. “But of course, as we often hear from the police, we keep all options open. It sounds plausible, but "we don't know" is the simple answer."

Two people who were in the hospital on Saturday were released and one was treated for minor injuries.

Teams of experts from different parts of England, including the Isle of Wight and Hampshire, came to help.

Smith said he concluded that he could no longer find survivors using search dogs.

“We brought in several specialist assets yesterday afternoon, some of which arrived in Chinook. It is not only these special funds but also the support of the military that has brought in search dogs to give us the reassurance we need that we are now in the phase of recovery. It is inevitable, tragic, and sad.

Jersey Secretary Christina Moore told reporters at a press conference on Sunday that the larger Jersey population was "deeply shocked and saddened" by the incident and that the government was "overwhelmed" by their "offers of assistance".

Earlier, Moore said she was awakened by an explosion. "I could hear this special sound all over the island," she said. "It's not entirely clear what it was, but it certainly woke me up and a lot of people."