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As specialist personnel continue searching the site of Jersey's Pier Road explosion, the island has started paying tribute to the seven people confirmed missing following the blast.
The decision has been made to put all personnel involved in the recovery option on 12 hour rotations - with their welfare "a key priority", Jersey's Fire Chief has said.
Updating islanders last night, Paul Brown said those involved in the search and recovery operation would not stop until every person who has lost their life “receives the dignity and care they deserve”.
Mr Brown added that the specialist teams who had flown in from the UK on Saturday would remain in the island “for as long as it takes” and there were no plans for the units to scale back their contribution. He said he is immensely proud of the work the emergency services were doing and that all procedures were being followed.
“We are firmly focused on the current recovery phase, although I am also talking to my colleagues on the National Fire Chief Council to prepare for the next phases, which includes a full investigation of what happened.
“However, as the Police Chief said over the weekend, this search could take weeks to complete because the site remains a very hazardous place.”
Last night, Deputies from St Helier South joined the @ChiefMinJSY and Justice and Home Affairs Ministers to visit the site to meet rescue workers and see how the recovery operation was progressing.
— Government of Jersey (@GovJersey) December 12, 2022
This visit followed an earlier visit by the families. pic.twitter.com/gtI5noFdxD
Chief Officer Brown said that his service’s call to Haut du Mont on Friday evening at 20:36 was still being investigated. The fire crew had left at 21:01, he added.
Gas supplier Islands Energy Group confirmed on Monday that a gas engineer had been called up by the Fire and Rescue Service on Friday evening, as is standard procedure when a suspected gas leak is reported, and had attended the site.
IEG CEO Jo Cox said that the company was conducting its own internal investigation and that it was also currently safety testing the island's gas supply.
She revealed that the Haut du Mont block had not been connected to gas, but that gas engineers had worked recently at the site.
Pictured: The search scene in St Helier yesterday.
Tributes have been paid to the seven people named so far as being involved in the Pier Road Tragedy.
Jersey Police have confirmed that five people are dead and a further four remain unaccounted for.
Yesterday, with the consent of their families, officers released the identities of seven of the group: Peter Bowler (72), Raymond ‘Raymie’ Brown (71), Romeu and Louise De Almeida (67 and 64), Derek and Sylvia Ellis (61 and 73), and Billy Marsden (63).
Peter Bowler
A popular member of the island’s martial arts community, Mr Bowler became the Jersey Judo Association’s “oldest ever white belt” after joining the club following lockdown.
“He already held a black belt in Karate and was remarkably strong and quick to learn techniques. He always brought huge enthusiasm and a great sense of humour to our Wednesday evening classes and he will be very sadly missed,” said the club, which will be holding a minute’s silence in Mr Bowler’s memory on Wednesday.
Justin Corfield, who knew Mr Bowler from aged 14, having trained with him at Ishinryu, said the club “won’t be the same without him.”
He remembered Mr Bowler as a “real joker who never took himself too seriously”, while Joan Stafford Russell recalled a “character”, who was “always smiley, with a cheery nature.”
Known affectionately as ‘Raymie’, Raymond Brown was a Scottish tradesman who made Jersey his home around four decades ago.
“Devastated” former Housing Minister Terry Le Main described him as someone who “was very political minded and had strong views on protecting our Island.''
Pat Couppey remembered a pubgoer who would “hold court at La Bastille”, describing him as “very loud”, “very friendly” and someone who “always said hello to everybody.”
Barry Rawlinson fondly recalled a “one-off” with a love of Space Invaders, who could “literally talk the legs off a donkey”. He said he “undeniably will surely be missed.”
Louise De Almeida, a respected translator who gave many years of service as a Portuguese interpreter in the Magistrate’s and Royal Courts, was also lost in the blast, alongside her husband, Romeu.
Close friend Anabela Jardim, who would often dine with the pair, remembered them as a “lovely couple”, who were “good parents and good grandparents too.”
“They are going be in my heart and my husband’s heart forever. I'm not going to say ‘goodbye’ to them but ‘see you later’.”
Pat Couppey described Lancashire-born grandfather Mr Marsden, who worked at the former Le Riches, as “one of the loveliest men you could ever meet”, while Andrew Brown paid tribute on social media to a Lamplighter regular who will be “greatly missed”.
Lee Madden said he was “loved by so many”, adding: “to have known you is a privilege, to have loved you is a blessing shared by many and for all you gave us we are grateful.”
Gary Jeffery said on Facebook that the couple were “two absolutely beautiful humans”, who were “always smiling and never had a bad word said about anyone.” He added that they were “both too good to leave this world.”
Kate Farrell said Sylvia was a “lovely lady”, while Mae Milton Telford said that she had met the pair earlier this year at a wedding, fondly recalling how it was difficult to “keep Derek off the dancefloor!”.
Video: Jersey Ministers and Police lined up outside their respective headquarters at 11:00 on Monday morning. (Charlie Flynn/Christie Bailey)
Yesterday, an island-wide minute's silence was held across Jersey to remember those whose lives had been lost in both the Pier Road and maritime tragedy, which claimed the lives of three fishermen last week.
A special service in honour of those whose lives were lost in both tragedies will be taking place at Jersey's Town Church on Wednesday evening.
Flags will be flown at half-mast across Jersey until 23 December.
Work is still ongoing to establish the exact cause of the blast at Haut du Mont flats.
Police Chief Robin Smith said at a press conference on Sunday that the "likely" cause was a gas leak, but that investigations remained ongoing under the supervision of a Senior Investigating Officer.
He said that Islands Energy Group, Andium Homes and the Health and Safety Inspectorate were all involved.
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