Three Island Energy employees have denied causing the deaths of ten people due to negligence in connection with the Haut du Mont explosion in Jersey in December 2022.
Island Energy also pleaded not guilty to separate charges for breaching health-and-safety laws in relation to the same incident.
Both cases appeared before Jersey’s Royal Court for the first time this morning.
The three Island Energy staff – Neil Armstrong (56), Lee Ward (57) and John Wright (59) – were each charged with ten counts of gross negligence manslaughter resulting from the gas explosion at the Haut du Mont flats in Pier Road, St Helier.
The court heard that two of the accused remain employed by the gas company.
Mr Armstrong was represented in court today by Advocate Rui Tremoceiro, Mr Ward was represented by Advocate Olaf Blakeley, and Mr Wright was represented by Advocate Mark Boothman.
Island Energy CEO Greame Millar appeared in court on behalf of the company, which was represented by Advocate Mike Preston.
Crown Advocate Simon Thomas was prosecuting.
Ten people were killed and two were injured in the blast, just before 04:00 on 10 December 2022. All the victims were in their 60s and 70s.
They were Peter Bowler (72), Raymond Brown (71), Louise De Almeida (64), Romeu De Almeida (67), Derek Ellis (61), Sylvia Ellis (73), Jane Ralph (71), Ken Ralph (72), Billy Marsden (62) and Kathy McGinness (73).
The two-year investigation into the incident cost more than £11 million and was described as “the largest and most complex in the States of Jersey Police’s 70-year history”.
The three-storey block of flats was completely destroyed by the blast, while many buildings nearby suffered structural damage and broken windows.
Three housing blocks on the site had to be demolished on safety grounds, and Pier Road did not fully reopen to the public until May of last year.
Gross negligence manslaughter is the legal term for a form of unintentional killing caused by failing to take an action or mistakenly taking the wrong action. It is most commonly seen in medical cases.
The two Island Energy charges relate to an alleged failure to ensure the health and safety of employees at the company and others not in their employment.
The summons was brought by the Health and Safety Inspectorate, who said its investigation had run in parallel with the police investigation.
Follow Express for updates…