Fire aftermath

THIS dramatic picture shows the smoking remains of the Broadlands lodging house which was virtually destroyed by fire on Monday evening.

Burnt-out trucks and skips stand half buried beside the charred shells of buildings that once housed more than 50 guests and staff at the recycling and waste management depot on Mont Fallu, St Peter.

All of them miraculously escaped but have been left homeless after the blaze. A relief effort has swung into action and almost all were rehoused last night and collections of money, clothes and food have already started.

Today Chief Fire Officer Mark James said that it was amazing that no one was killed or seriously injured as the inferno engulfed the site.

He said: ‘The fire went from nothing to a massive blaze in less than ten minutes.

‘It’s very fortunate that everyone got out alive from this. If this had happened during the night, it could have been a very different story.’

• Aftermath pictures by Jersey Fire and Rescue and two taken during the fire by JEP reader Luke Bratchnextpagenextpagenextpagenextpagenextpagenextpagenextpagenextpagenextpagenextpagenextpagenextpage