[Dan_]

Anyone seen this on the news? I could hear it from where I live.


Last Updated: Sunday, 11 December 2005, 08:57 GMT
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Massive explosions hit fuel depot

Blast scene from Bedfordshire

Eyewitness accounts
Large explosions have rocked a fuel depot near Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire shooting flames hundreds of feet into the sky.

Police say there are 36 casualties, with two people seriously hurt.

The first blast happened at 0603 GMT at the Buncefield fuel depot, close to junction 8 of the M1 motorway and was heard as far away as the Netherlands.

The fire, which police believe was caused by an accident, could last days with more explosions expected.

Earlier rumours a plane was involved were unfounded, said a police spokesman.

Witnesses said another two explosions followed the first at 0626 GMT and 0627 GMT.

Map of explosion area
The depot provides fuel for airports across the South East

In total, 20 petrol tanks are involved in the fire, each said to hold three million gallons of fuel.

Tanker driver Paul Turner said he ran for his life after the explosion lifted him off his feet.

"I just saw this great big ball of fire come up from behind the building. It was about 50 metres wide," he told the BBC.

"Then there was the loudest explosion I have ever heard in my life. I got up, turned around and ran to my car and sped out of there as fast as I could."

The M1 has been closed both ways between junctions 6a and 12.

The M10 motorway is closed in both directions between junction 1 and junction 7 as well as some arterial roads in Hemel Hempstead.

Motorists have been told not to go "anywhere near the M1 from the M25 upwards".

Luton airport is said to be operating as usual.


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We heard an explosion and the whole house shook
Anil Taank, Northwood, Middlesex

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A spokeswoman said no flights have been affected by the explosion and the smoke was not affecting the flight path.

The area near the site has been evacuated, while police have advised residents living nearby to keep their windows and doors closed due to fumes.

Many houses have been damaged, with some reporting feeling effects from the explosion as far away as Oxfordshire, while it was heard in Surrey and Norfolk.

Eyewitnesses reported buckled front doors, cracked walls and blown-out windows.



Enlarge Image

The Buncefield depot is a major distribution terminal operated by Total and part-owned by Texaco, storing oil, petrol and well as kerosene which supplies airports across the region, including Heathrow and Luton.

The country's fifth largest fuel distribution depot, it is also used by BP, Shell and British Pipeline.

Police said there was no indication the explosion would cause fuel shortages and warned against panic buying.

"We strongly advise against this as recent events have shown that panic buying alone can cause fuel shortages," said Hertfordshire Police Chief Constable Frank Whiteley.

A spokesman for Total said: "We are doing everything we can to support the emergency services and to bring the situation under control."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4517962.stm

[Siouxsie]

yes seen it Polution all around

[sol]

if it was heard in the Netherlands then it must've been heard in Plymouth, I didnt hear anything, although I would've still been asleep
Hope no one was seriously hurt or killed

[Siouxsie]

no i dont think anyone was hurt

[Di2001]

I've just watched a bit of this on Sky News.

36 casualties with just 2 being seriously injured.

[Ruth]

It's amazing that nobody was killed. If it had happened later on, or in the week, there would probably have been several people killed.

[Fangz]

Wow, it's a good thing noone died. Hope the casualties recover soon.

[cc100]

If this had happened north of Watford, it wouldnt have got the same lenghty coverage.

More South East bias.

[Dan_]

Oh get real it's the biggest piece of news of the day and has caused a lot of damage.

[BigSister]

im still confused

[Dan_]

About?

[BigSister]

what has actually happened havent seen much been at work all day

[Dan_]

It was an explosion at an oil depot.

[BigSister]

oh right thanks Dan.

[cc100]

Originally posted by BB fernzy
Oh get real it's the biggest piece of news of the day and has caused a lot of damage.

So if it had happened in Yorkshire or Aberdeen, it would have got the same coverage?

I doubt it.

And there is no need to be rude.

[CharlotteSometimes]

Of course it would've got as much attention. When the BBC first ran the report, there were suggestions that a plane had crashed into the fuel depot. There was similar speculation when a train derailed in a tunnel in Liverpool recently. Until any possible terrorist connection has been dismissed, any such news report is bound to get blanket coverage at the moment. (Even though the BBC had nothing to offer for hours, other than one static image of the inferno, and phone calls from people that lived nearby).

[Mike]

It doesn't matter where the explosion took place it would still have got the same coverage no doubt.

[Dan_]

Originally posted by cc100

So if it had happened in Yorkshire or Aberdeen, it would have got the same coverage?

I doubt it.

And there is no need to be rude.

I think it would have the same coverage, afterall it was a major incident and has caused a lot of damage and still continues to cause disruption and as Charlotte has said at first they thought it was a plane crash, if that had happend anywhere in the country the news crews would be there like a flash covering the story.

What else would they have reported on yesterday?

I'm sorry if I came across as rude but I felt it was a bit silly to suggest and incident similar to the one in Hemel would not have been reported 'north of watford'.

[CharlotteSometimes]

That depot also holds 8% of the country's fuel reserve, and the fire itself is the biggest in peace-time Europe - that's pretty major.

[cc100]

In general though, the media is pretty biased towards the South East.