The police chief expressed regret that the search and rescue mission has been transformed into a “recovery operation.”
Five people have been confirmed dead as a result of an explosion and fire at a Jersey apartment complex, up from the previous death toll of three.
Approximately a dozen people are still missing.
The hunt for bodies “will take weeks, not days” and will be “precise and laborious,” officials warned Sunday.
The emergency services are no longer searching for survivors, said police head, Robin Smith.
When asked if the missing had perished, Mr. Smith stated: “We are now in the phase of recovery [of the operation]. Inevitably, unfortunately, and lamentably, this is the situation.”
He stated that while the search of the explosion’s debris would not be “rapid,” it would be “careful and attentive.”
Something terrible has occurred.
Firefighters, specialized rescue teams, and dogs worked through the night to scour the rubble of the St. Helier building for survivors.
Mr. Smith stated that teams were currently “collaborating with all services, including health and safety, to determine how this transpired.
Paul Brown, the chief fire officer of Jersey, stated: “Clearly, something has gone awry since a building has exploded and fallen. And horribly [incorrect].”
Mr. Brown continued, “We are all grieved by the loss of Islanders and the continued suffering of their relatives and loved ones.”
Family liaison officers are now working with the families of people affected by the explosion, and while authorities claim to be in contact with all next of kin, casualties have not yet been recognized publicly.
‘Utter desolation’
The depth of the destruction was obvious in video footage uploaded to Twitter by the Jersey government, which depicted piles of debris, smashed cars, and a blown-out window in a nearby building.
The police described the situation at Haut du Mont on Pier Road as “destruction.”
Mr. Smith stated that the tower block had “totally collapsed” and “no longer resembles a building” as a result of the “very massive explosion.”
The explosion, which occurred about 4:00 a.m. on Saturday, necessitated the relocation of approximately forty individuals.
It is premature to speculate about the cause.
The fire department was dispatched to the building at approximately 8:20 p.m. on Friday, hours before the explosion when residents reported smelling gas.
Paul Brown, the chief fire officer, responded that there were “many conceivable causes” for such a “ferocious” explosion, but it was too early to guess.
The residents of the apartments have been relocated to the St. Helier Town Hall, where they will continue to receive support.
The deputy prime minister, Dominic Raab, tweeted that he was “deeply saddened” by the event and praised the emergency services’ reaction, adding, “We stand ready to assist in any manner possible.”
It’s the second tragedy to strike Jersey in recent days; last week, a skipper and two crew members perished after their fishing boat collided with a cargo ship.
