Author Topic: One of britain biggest oil storage depots blew up this morning near my home.  (Read 152 times)

Don Rizzle

  • Capo Di Tutti Capi
  • Muthafuckin' Don!
  • *****
  • Posts: 4485
  • Karma: -4
Massive explosions hit fuel depot
 
 
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.

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

Police said the thick cloud of smoke was heading east, but was not thought to be toxic.

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

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


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

Hertfordshire's chief fire officer Roy Wilsher said it was the largest fire he had ever witnessed.

"I think you need to go back into history of Milford Haven and areas like that to see this sort of fire scale.," he said.

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".

At Heathrow airport some flights were forced to delay landing because of smoke, but Luton airport was said to be operating as usual.


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

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

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.


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."

Concerned relatives can call a police casualty bureau on 0800 096 0095, or from abroad on 0207 1580125.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/uk/4517962.stm

this is crazy i was about a 10 minute drive away from the explosion this morning, i was lying in bed with jackie and we didn't hear a thing we didn't know what had happenned till her mum rang from zimbabwe after seeing it on the news. but my dad was at home which is further a way he said it shook the house and woke him up, people been saying they been hearing it all the country even in holland and france too. we looked out the window there was a huge cloud of black smoke, still there now actually they recon its gonna carry on burning for a couple of days, saw a satalite picture on the news theres a big black patch covering about a quarter of london and probably going as high as milton keynes n luton.

on the way home, petrol stations had huge queues stretching back along the road shits getting crazy round here

« Last Edit: December 11, 2005, 06:32:10 AM by Don Rizzle »

iraq would just get annexed by iran


That would be a great solution.  If Iran and the majority of Iraqi's are pleased with it, then why shouldn't they do it?
 

mauzip

  • Guest
did you take any pictures? that must have been an amazing sight!
 

Don Rizzle

  • Capo Di Tutti Capi
  • Muthafuckin' Don!
  • *****
  • Posts: 4485
  • Karma: -4
i didn't but here are some from bbc
















iraq would just get annexed by iran


That would be a great solution.  If Iran and the majority of Iraqi's are pleased with it, then why shouldn't they do it?
 

J Bananas

  • Guest
Awesome!
 

Jip

  • Muthafuckin' Don!
  • *****
  • Posts: 1472
  • Karma: -36
i didnt hear it, and i live in manchester
 

$do11a biLL$

  • Guest
damn thats fucking hardcore
 

Don Seer

my dad heard it. and i musta heard it n been kinda half asleep and had a dream about firework fights... and i'm a 150 miles away ish.. i hear people way further west than me heard it too..
 

Sikotic™

FIYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My Chihuahuas Are Eternal

THA SAUCE HOUSE