Under-investment blamed for explosion failings

Jersey Fire Service ‘undermined by years of under-investment’, union warns

A lack of funding and resources in Jersey’s fire service likely contributed to serious failings in the lead-up to the fatal explosion at Haut du Mont, according to a firefighters’ union.

In a letter to the island’s Home Affairs scrutiny panel, the Fire and Rescue Service Association (FRSA) said the shortcomings identified before the 2022 blast were “the result of years of under-investment and limited capacity”.

FRSA president Tim Le Cocq said the government’s failure to properly support the service had created an environment that did not “appropriately consider the risk to staff, islanders and visitors”.

He said the guilty pleas entered by the States Employment Board (SEB) to health and safety breaches in connection with the disaster showed the “consequences” of neglect.

Ten residents were killed when an explosion destroyed the Haut du Mont block of flats in St Helier in December 2022. In September, the SEB — the body responsible for employing public servants — admitted to failing to protect both employees and the public.

The charges detailed a series of failings, including the poor handling of emergency calls, insufficient supervision of control room staff, and the absence of clear procedures for dealing with suspected gas incidents.

In his letter, Mr Le Cocq warned that lessons from the tragedy must not be ignored. “The events which led to the spotlight being shone on these specific failings were tragic,” he wrote. “Further tragedy cannot be what drives progress. The safety of islanders must come first — and as a priority.”