Island Energy has been summonsed to appear in court to answer charges relating to the Haut du Mont explosion, which claimed the lives of ten islanders.
The court summons has been issued to Jersey Gas Company Ltd – which trades under Island Energy – following the incident on Pier Road in December 2022.
Alleged health and safety breaches
The company is being asked to answer two charges under the Health and Safety at Work (Jersey) Law 1989.
The two charges – both criminal offences – relate to an alleged failure to ensure the health and safety of employees at the company and others not in their employment.
The summons has been brought by The Health and Safety Inspectorate – an independent regulator of the island’s workplaces – following their own investigation after the incident.
In a statement, the regulator said its investigation had run in parallel with the States of Jersey Police investigation as part of Operation Spire.
The probe was supported by specialist inspectors and technical experts from Britain’s Health and Safety Executive, the Inspectorate said.
Safety a “top priority”
Islands Energy Group CEO Graeme Millar said safety remains Island Energy’s “top priority”.
“Our sympathies remain with the families who were impacted by the tragedy at Haut du Mont,” he commented.
“Safety remains Island Energy’s top priority. Given the ongoing legal proceedings, it would not be appropriate to comment further on the matter at this time.”
Court hearings next week
It comes just weeks after three former employees of Island Energy were charged with multiple counts of gross negligence manslaughter.
Following a separate police investigation, Neil Armstrong (56), Lee Ward (57) and John Wright (59) were last month charged with ten counts each of gross negligence manslaughter, relating to the number of those who lost their lives.
The three men and representatives of the Jersey Gas Company Ltd will appear in separate sittings at the Magistrate’s Court on 14 March.
Haut du Mont residents Peter Bowler (72), Raymond Brown (71), Romeu and Louise De Almeida (67 and 64 years), Derek and Sylvia Ellis (61 and 73 years), Ken and Jane Ralph (72 and 71 years) and 63-year-old Billy Marsden died in the blast.
Kathy McGinness (73), who lived in an adjacent block of flats, was injured as a result of the explosion and died at the General Hospital on Christmas Day in 2022.
Last week, land at the south side of Haut du Mont site was officially transferred from Andium Homes to the Government of Jersey – at no cost – for the creation of a memorial garden following the deaths.
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