Jersey explosion: Final two people feared dead named

Ken and Jane Ralph are the last of nine people missing since the explosion

The last two people feared dead after an explosion at a block of flats in Jersey have been named.

Ken Ralph, 72, and Jane Ralph, 71, are among nine people missing since the blast, said Jersey police.

On Monday, the force named the other victims as Peter Bowler, 72, Raymond Brown, 71, Romeu de Almeida, 67, Louise de Almeida, 64, Derek Ellis, 61, Sylvia Ellis, 73, and Billy Marsden, 63.

Seven deaths have been confirmed as the recovery operation continues.

Emergency services are not expecting to find any survivors.

Top row, left to right: Derek and Sylvia Ellis, Romeu and Louise de Almeida. Bottom row, left to right: Raymond Brown, Billy Marsden and Peter Bowler

The explosion happened at the three-storey Haut du Mont residential block on Pier Road, St Helier, on Saturday at about 04:00 GMT.

During a press conference earlier, Jersey Chief of Police Robin Smith said: "The families are being supported by specially trained family liaison officers.

"The fatalities have not yet been formally identified. The Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) process must be carefully considered and managed in a dignified and compassionate way."

The Viscount's Office has confirmed inquests will only be opened once the DVI process has been fully completed.

An appeal by the Bailiff is expected to be set up in the coming days for islanders to donate aid to people affected by the explosion and also those impacted by the three fishermen missing after a collision at sea.

Books of condolence will be available at parish and public halls and a vigil will be held on Wednesday at the Town Church.

Floral tributes have been left on the steps of Ordnance Yard, near to the site

Mr Smith said the force's investigation would be led by Jersey's head of CID, but would call on "national experts in advising us on what is a very complex investigation, a very complex scene".

The fire service confirmed it attended the flats just after 20:30 GMT on Friday after the smell of gas was reported.

Chief Fire Officer Paul Brown said firefighters handed the scene over to Island Energy at 21:01.

He said the investigation into the cause of the explosion "will be complex and long".

Mr Brown said normally the fire service investigates all fires in the island - hundreds of times a year - but "on this occasion we will commission independent investigators."

Chief Ambulance Officer Peter Gavey said: "Most ambulance activity is now in business as usual and we thank islanders for only calling in a real emergency."

Nearby buildings were damaged by the blast with windows blown out

Ian Gallichan, chief executive of Andium Homes, said: "There was a redundant Island Energy supply at Haut du Mont but as Island Energy have confirmed, no gas was being consumed on site either by us or our residents."

He said the company asked for the redundant supply to be disconnected from the mains network in September.

Island Energy said in a statement: "We can confirm that, in line with Andium's statement, there was a redundant Island Energy supply at Haut du Mont but there was no gas being consumed by either Andium or their residents.

"Outside of this, we are unable to comment on any details regarding works carried out on the property last week as this is part of an investigation and, as such, it would be inappropriate to discuss any information at this time."

Earlier the gas supplier said engineers were safety testing the network and "no issues had been detected" so far.

Chief executive officer Jo Cox previously said it would "work with emergency services and the various channels to ensure we are providing the data needed to understand exactly what happened".

Some of the 42 residents who were evacuated from their homes returned home on Monday after the cordon around the Haut du Mont site was reduced.

The rest have been housed elsewhere by Andium Homes, which runs the residential block.

Mr Smith said it was not likely all the displaced residents would be able to return home in time for Christmas but emergency services were working with them on ways of safely securing belongings.

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