22 February 2023
- More than half of displaced households moved into permanent new homes
- Experts working to recover personal possessions from the site and return them
- Extensive support being provided to affected residents
Updates on the Pier Road disaster recovery efforts have not been issued while funeral services of
those who lost their lives have been taking place out of respect for the bereaved families of the 10
Islanders who lost their lives.
The Government of Jersey and its partners would like to thank members of the media for their
cooperation and understanding during this period of sensitivity and grief.
Pier Road disaster recovery
Following the Pier Road disaster on 10 December 2022, there has been a multiagency recovery
effort on the site of Haut du Mont.
A total of 29 households from Haut du Mont were displaced because of the disaster and they were
all found immediate appropriate temporary accommodation. More than half of the displaced
households have now moved into new permanent homes, which have been fully furnished by
Andium Homes.
Andium Homes is actively working to identify properties for the remaining displaced residents, and
continues to work closely with residents to move them into their new homes.
Recovery of personal items
The residents of properties which were not directly impacted by the explosion have been offered
the opportunity to return to their homes to collect their smaller possessions. Plans are in place for
larger possessions to be returned. These visits have been facilitated by specialists in the dedicated
Support Hub and Andium Homes.
Teams are working to return personal possessions to residents of those properties which were
more severely damaged by the explosion and are structurally unsafe. These residents have not
been able to return to retrieve their personal items, but it is hoped this work will be completed in
April.
Specially trained police search officers remain at the scene looking for any remaining evidence
relevant to the investigation.
Alongside police search officers, a team of 30 disaster recovery experts continue their efforts to
ensure all personal items are found and returned.
To date, the team has spent more than 7,000
working hours on the site recovery, and more than 300 tonnes of rubble have been sifted to locate
and recover items of personal property. All rubble from the site has been moved to a secure
location.
Disaster recovery teams are expected to remain on site until mid to late April.
Beyond the recovery of personal belongings, retrieved items are being carefully processed at a
secure location. An electronic and hard copy catalogue is being prepared for bereaved families to
view so they can identify their family members’ belongings. The cataloguing process will continue
until the middle of the year. The team will then facilitate the cleaning, repair, and secure delivery of
the items, according to the families’ wishes.
The security of the site and the personal possessions which remain there is of the utmost
importance. To further maintain site security, gates will be installed at either end of the cordon
later this week. The site remains in the possession of States of Jersey Police as part of the ongoing
investigation, Operation Spire.
More details on the site transition will follow in due course.
Support and wellbeing
Following the incident, a dedicated Support Hub – coordinated through Customer and Local
Services – was set up to ensure all displaced residents were given immediate support, as well as
access to free primary care, emergency funds, and replacement items.
Displaced residents continue to receive support through the service, which comprises professionals
from Health and Community Services, adult social work, Andium Homes, mental health
professionals, and Support Hub officers.
The Parish of St Clement and its Community Support Team
have played a critical role in delivering the wrap around support. Members of the team are in
contact with the community on a frequent basis.
Two coordinated group visits to the Haut du Mont site have taken place for bereaved families and
displaced residents. The respective visits were organised through States of Jersey Police Family
Liaison Officers and the Support Hub so those affected could spend time at the site, pay their
respects and leave tributes.
During and after the visit, displaced residents were offered support by
Jersey Recovery College, Mind Jersey, Listening Lounge and the Deanery of Jersey.
The Support Hub has also facilitated regular coffee mornings for the displaced residents, which are
held in a safe space outside of town. The coffee mornings provide an opportunity for residents to
come together as a community and receive help and support from experts. The meetings are also a
place for important information to be shared with the displaced community. Family Liaison Officers
from States of Jersey Police continue to support the bereaved families.
Mental health support continues to be offered for the displaced community through the Listening
Lounge and Jersey Recovery College. A dedicated regular Listening Lounge session for displaced
residents has begun to encourage a coming together for growth, healing, and connection.
To reinforce the early wellbeing support that has been provided to all Islanders affected by the
incidents, wellbeing packages for ongoing support are being developed across Government of
Jersey services.
Next steps for site recovery
The site will be handed over from States of Jersey Police to Government once the examination of
the crime scene is completed.
Work is just starting on the process for considering the appropriate next steps for the future of the
Haut du Mont site.
This will involve bereaved families, displaced residents, and the surrounding
communities so that the most appropriate options can be considered.
The Deputy Chief Minister, Deputy Kirsten Morel, said: “It is remarkable to see how agencies,
parishes, businesses and Islanders have come together and offered support at a time of need for
our Island.
“The way response and recovery teams have stepped up to ensure service delivery, public safety
and respect for the lives that have been lost is truly outstanding. The whole Council of Ministers
continues to recognise the care, humanity and hard work that is going into this Island recovery
effort.
“Throughout the response, Andium Homes has put its residents first to ensure their requirements
are prioritised. I would like to thank all the Andium staff for their work.
“We are fortunate to be working with world class professionals on the Pier Road site recovery. I am
grateful for the teams who have been retrieving items for the displaced residents and bereaved
families. They have shown immense care and professionalism, retrieving items as small earrings
from the scene.
“While it is too soon to be making any firm plans for the future of the site, any next steps will be
considered with bereaved families and the displaced community, to make sure we have a positive
outcome for our Island. This will take time and will be very sensitive to those most affected.”
Notes to Editors
- States of Jersey Police will be providing an update on the Operation Spire investigation later
this week
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