Big Fuel depot blast close to London

[GIGObuster]

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/article332433.ece

A series of explosions tore through an oil depot near London early today sending flames and smoke shooting hundreds of feet into the sky.

Police and emergency crews raced to the scene of the blasts which rocked Buncefield fuel terminal, near Hemel Hempstead, in Hertfordshire, around 6am.

There were unconfirmed reports of casualties at the depot. Initial reports said witnesses heard a plane going overhead shortly before the first explosions - but police were quick to dismiss that suggestion, insisting the incident was an “accident”.

The fuel terminal, which is close junction 8 of the M1 forced the closure of the motorway in both directions between junctions 6 and 10. The M10 was also completely closed.

Images here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/4518026.stm

My thoughts go for all the affected, I hope it was not a terror attack.

[gum]

The BBC says it was an accident.

My sweetie is in London. He’s alright, though. I just called him.

[DMark]

Trying not to be a cynic, and truly sorry for those who were killed or injured or lost their homes…but if the recent events in New Orleans are any indication, expect to see the price of gas go up to record highs in the very near future.

Those photos were pretty terrifying. I can only imagine the horror of those who lived nearby!

[Quartz]

I live 10 miles away and it woke me up. I checked the house and went back to sleep.

[mittu]

@DMark

Trying not to be a cynic, and truly sorry for those who were killed or injured or lost their homes…but if the recent events in New Orleans are any indication, expect to see the price of gas go up to record highs in the very near future.

I don’t think fuel prices will be effected at all to be honest. Airports that are supplied by the oil depot say there will be no shortages as they have alternate supplies. The only possible problems I can think of are those caused by panic buying, if people think there will be shortages there normally are because of the vastly increased load on the supplies.

The news is reporting 36 casualties, 4 of whom are seriously injured. I hope everyone pulls through and people are allowed to return to their homes soon.

[Una_Persson]

Fierra’s UK house is very close by there, maybe 1 quarter mile as the crow flies. She’s safe in Kansas, of course, now. We used to drive past the terminal all the time, on a little road she called the “Hobbit Road”, as it was a tree-covered tiny road that wound alongside a hedgerow. It was one of the few places nearby that had badgers and rabbits. It was very scenic and we have many photos of it. The oil tanks were very close to this road, some smaller tanks were only a few dozen yards from it, so it’s likely gone.

[Revenant_Threshold]

I’m also nearish - about 15 miles away. It woke me up, but at the time I didn’t realise what it was - just that something had woken me up. You can see the plume of smoke for miles.

The police said in their news conference that people shouldn’t panic buy petrol - sadly we’re all idiots it seems, because queues at petrol stations have been looking long all day - the one down the road from me’s been pretty damn busy. So now we’ll get an people-created shortage. Ack. I’m glad I don’t drive.

[Dead_Cat]

Ah, that explains the queues I noticed at a petrol station this afternoon. Once again, we are reminded that people are stupid.

[Larry_Mudd]

I love b3tans.

[GIGObuster]

@Dead Cat

Ah, that explains the queues I noticed at a petrol station this afternoon. Once again, we are reminded that people are stupid.

Blimey! They should be running to get beer!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4520566.stm

The main distribution centre for Scottish & Newcastle’s subsidiary Waverley TBS was also badly damaged.

S&N, the UK’s biggest brewer, said its Waverly TBS wholesale subsidiary “will have incurred significant asset losses”.

The best news though is that so far, no one died in the blast.

[Quartz]

I drove past Buncefield tonight. Impressive. Less impressive were the dorks parked on the hard shoulder (of the motorway) gawping.

[Sublight]

Richard Pryor’s ghost is going out in style, I see.

[seosamh]

It woke me up at 06.03, and I’m in London which is - what - 30 miles away?

[Una_Persson]

Bump

My babe Fierra and I visited the Buncefield site and the surrounding area last week, and took some pictures to share and I wrote up a little report. Anyone intersted can find it on my Board here:

http://unaboard.coalgoddess.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=15140

[Encinitas]

Thanks for the update Una. Impressive photos of the surrounding damage.

[Una_Persson]

@Encinitas

Thanks for the update Una. Impressive photos of the surrounding damage.

You’re welcome. I always thought that one of the ways that the SDMB could have been a great resource was to have people “on the ground” where interesting/newsworthy events happen/ed.