Criminal investigation could be launched following fatal explosion in Jersey

Jersey's Police Chief, Robin Smith, says a senior detective has been assigned to investigate the blast.

Jersey's Chief of Police has said that a criminal investigation might be launched into the explosion in St Helier that claimed at least three lives.

'Around a dozen' people are still missing following the blast on Saturday morning that destroyed a block of flats on Pier Road.

Chief Officer, Robin Smith, said that a senior detective has already been assigned to look "at the investigative side of things".

Speaking at a press conference on Saturday (10 December) evening, he said: "It is, as I described this morning, a scene of utter devastation."

"The building has completely collapsed, it doesn't even look like the building was. A very significant explosion."

Specialist rescue teams from the UK have been flown to the island to assist in the search effort.