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The death toll following an explosion at a block of flats in Jersey on Saturday has risen to nine.
In a statement, the island’s police chief, Robin Smith, said: “The number of islanders confirmed to have died in the blast is now nine.
“The families have been made aware of this announcement before the public and media and continue to be supported by our specially trained family liaison officers.
“We believe there are no more residents that remain unaccounted for. The search operation will continue until the site has been fully cleared.”
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A three-storey block of apartments overlooking the port of St Helier exploded in a fireball at 4am on Saturday, leaving nine people missing.
The previous evening, the island’s fire service had been called at 8.36pm to a suspected gas leak. Officers at the scene had handed over the case to Island Energy, the island’s supplier of energy, about 30 minutes later.
The apartments themselves were not connected to the gas network but the energy company is facing questions over what action its staff took in the seven hours between notice of the suspected gas leak and the explosion.
The nine people, including three couples, believed to have been killed in the explosion have been named as Ken (71) and Jane (72) Ralph, Romeu (67) and Louise (64) De Almeida, Derek (61) and Sylvia (73) Ellis, Peter Bowler (72), Raymond Brown (71) and Billy Marsden (63). – PA