The loss of life increased in the violent explosion that occurred at 04:00 local time yesterday in a 3-storey building in St Helier, the capital of Jersey Island, one of the Channel Islands in the south of England. Police stated that 4 people are still missing.

Officials said the search and rescue operation had turned into a debris removal operation and the chance of finding survivors is very little.

Jersey Police Chief Robin Smith noted that nothing will be excluded from the investigation and that the rescue and identification efforts will take some time. The cause of the explosion is not yet known, but he stated to have received a report from the residents in the neighborhood regarding gas smell in the area.