UK: Series of explosions at fuel depot north of London force two thousand out of their homes to escape thick plumes of acrid smoke.

Record ID: 344506

  • Title: UK: Series of explosions at fuel depot north of London force two thousand out of their homes to escape thick plumes of acrid smoke.
  • Date: 11th December 2005
  • Summary: WIDE OF FLAMES RISING ABOVE BUILDINGS
  • Embargoed: 26th December 2005 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes
  • Reuters ID: LVA5QOPCX5E1GFH1ZMATFVDOS3C7
  • Story Text: Explosions tore through a fuel depot north of London before dawn on Sunday (December 11), creating a huge tower of smoke and flame and seriously injuring two people in what police said appeared to be an accident.
    "All indications at this stage are that this was an accident. However clearly we will keep an open mind," Hertfordshire Chief Constable Frank Whiteley told a news conference after Britons, still on edge from July bomb attacks in London, awoke to images of destruction from new blasts.
    Eye witnesses described a series of massive explosions at the Buncefield oil depot, just after 0600 GMT. The explosions shot flames and billowing smoke several hundred feet into the air, smashed the windows of nearby homes and caused widespread damage.
    A Reuters witness said the blast was heard 40 km (25 miles) away in northwest London.
    Local resident Lisa Bagley said the explosion woke her and her husband up, "The bed started shaking so first of all we thought it was an earthquake and then a couple of seconds after there was a huge explosion."
    The force of the blasts smashed windows of nearby houses. Residents had to tape up broken windows and doors to stop the acrid smoke from billowing into their homes.
    Margaret Jiggins's front door was blown off its hinges, "There was one almighty explosion and it was just like a wind going through the house, everything shook," she said.
    Hours later, the skies over Buncefield were still blackened with a wall of smoke. Homes in the region were evacuated. Residents were looked after at a local leisure complex.
    Hemel Hempstead Member of Parliament, Mike Penning, who was visiting the centre said that about 2,000 people had been evacuated from their homes, because of dangers from the acrid smoke.
    Fire officials said the blaze was under control but could burn for days and there could be more small explosions.
    Local resident Mary Trotter told of her experience, "Five past six this morning, a big bang, it nearly blew us out of bed, really bad. The front door blew open, the back door blew open, the insulation from the loft all came down and ...it was really bad, frightened the life out of me," she said.
    Police said there were 36 casualties with only two of them suffering serious injuries and being held in hospital.
    The Buncefield depot supplies petrol and fuel oils for a large part of southeast England. It is jointly run by oil companies Total and Texaco.
    Nearby Luton airport and London's Heathrow said the smoke could disrupt some services but officials said the explosions were unlikely to cause fuel shortages for planes or cars.
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