Jersey blast: 7 people feared dead have been named, 9 of whom were killed by ‘gas blast’ as bodies were pulled from rubble

SEVEN of the nine people feared to have died after the massive gas explosion at a Jersey apartment block have been named.

Five bodies have now been pulled from the rubble after the explosion tore through the building in St Helier on Saturday.

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However, police believe there are four other victims, four of whom are unreported.

Officials today named seven of the nine people feared to have died in the blast.

ITV reported their names were: 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, 62.

The identities of two other people have been withheld from the media at the request of their families.

Yesterday police confirmed they pulled five bodies from the rubble after their rescue mission became a “recovery mission”.

Emergency services had been working through the night after the “devastating” blast happened just before 4am on Saturday.

But Police Chief Robin Smith announced yesterday: “It is with sadness that I confirm that the search and rescue operation has been deferred to a recovery operation.

“The decision was made after a detailed assessment and after the deployment of specialized K9 units.”

At a news conference, Smith added that the victims’ families would be supported.

He said: “We have entered a period of recovery, it is a moment to think of families.”

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