Mont Pinel update

Please find below a copy of the statement, made by Station Commander Ryan Hall at today’s briefing: 

At 22.57 on Wednesday 26 June emergency services were called to an unidentified suspected explosion and structural collapse at a property on Mont Pinel, St Saviour. A major incident was declared at this time.

There was significant damage to the property, and it appeared structurally unsafe. Upon inspection, we determined that there was no sign of fire.
States of Jersey Police secured the area, and we were aware that inside the property was a family of 2 adults and 2 young children - aged 2 and 5.

The area was secured, and firefighters entered the downstairs section of the property from the rear, where the 2 adults were trapped underneath rubble. The father was first to be rescued.

Due to the significance of the incident, it was a dynamic rescue where the priority was to save saveable life. This was very time-critical due to the unstable nature of the structure. 

We deployed with minimal crews in the risk areas and were closely supervised with safety officers in place, monitoring possible movement in the structure. 

Firefighters acted quickly to remove two young children who were upstairs in the property. 

The children were wrapped in blankets and held by firefighters who negotiated a difficult path from the rear of the property through a first-floor window. This was due to significant damage to the interior. The children showed no immediate signs of injury.

This was a difficult extraction due to the damage to the building and there were concerns that it may collapse at any time.

The mother required greater assistance and was the final resident to be rescued from the house. 

During the final stages of her rescue, we felt movement and started to see signs of further deterioration and the decision was that we needed to evacuate the property immediately.  

Ambulance crews then assessed the adults and children before transporting them to the General Hospital.

The quick actions of the initial responding crews should be commended. This was a challenging situation for emergency services, and I thank them for their quick thinking and bravery. 

At the same time, a number of residents nearby were evacuated to the Parish Hall to be triaged and we thank the St Saviour Honorary Police and Parsh officials for their assistance. 19 residents are receiving ongoing support from the Government, including accommodation and essentials.
States of Jersey Police officers and Honorary Police remain on site for the safety of the public and a cordon will remain in place until Monday evening. 

Structural engineers will be inspecting the property to assess its structural integrity before investigations can begin. Three neighbouring properties have been assessed by building standards as not dangerous structures, although residents are unable to return as inspections of the area are still being conducted.

This is no longer a Major Incident, and we now move to the recovery phase, led by States of Jersey Fire and Rescue.

It’s expected to take around a week to be able to sure up the property and make it safe enough for investigations to begin. 

At this stage, we cannot determine or comment on the cause of the suspected explosion and investigations will begin once we are safely able to do so.

Once again, I thank all the emergency services personnel for their decisive actions and extend those thanks to the St Saviour’s Parish officials and Honorary Police officers, as well as the Government of Jersey for their continued support.