A gas leak is said to be the cause of the explosion
At least five people were killed in the explosion and collapse of a residential building in island of jerseypolice announced today, clarifying that four more victims may still be under the rubble after two days of searching.
The death toll from the explosion “now stands at five”, Robin Smith, the local police chief, said tonight. “There are still a number of residents, we estimate four, who continue to be reported as missing.”
A gas leak is said to be the cause of the explosion occurred in the early hours of Saturday morning (at 04.00 local time) in the capital of the Channel island, the port of St Helier, in the south. Images from security cameras showed a ball of fire engulfing the three-story building by the sea, followed by thick smoke.
Earlier today, Smith said rescue crews no longer expected to find survivors under the rubble of the building. At the time, the toll was at least three dead but “we expect to find more” victims, he warned, speaking of “12 missing”.
“It is with great regret that I confirm that the search and rescue operations are henceforth collection operations” of the victims’ bodies, he had declared. Cleanup operations “won’t take days, they’ll take weeks.”
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