At least one person has been killed and around a dozen are missing after an explosion at a block of flats in Jersey.
A large blast ripped through the building in St Helier in the early hours of Saturday.
Officials said it was difficult to properly assess the number of people missing due to the destruction of the block of flats.
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Police said the fire had been extinguished at the building but a search operation remained underway at the scene on Pier Road on Saturday morning.
Robin Smith, the chief officer at Jersey Police, said at least one person had died and two people - whom he described as “walking wounded” had been taken to hospital following the blast.
“There are of course a number of other people that are unaccounted for and therefore a search and rescue operation has commenced,” he said.
Mr Smith said officers were alerted to a “large explosion” at around 4am at a block of flats in Pier Road in Jersey’s capital on Saturday.
He added between 20 and 30 people evacuated from the area had been taken to St Helier Town Hall.
When asked how many were believed to still be missing, Kristina Moore, Jersey chief minister, said on Saturday morning: “Given the destruction of the building it is hard to properly assess the numbers.
“We are looking in the region of around a dozen currently, but you will appreciate also that number could fluctuate.”
She said the scene in St Helier would take “some days” to clear.
Jersey Police said the blast took place at the Haut du Mont block of flats.
“Emergency services are working at the scene and have commenced a surface search of the site. Relatives are being contacted by Family Liaison Officers,” it said on Saturday morning.
Additional reporting by Press Association
