(Updated) BREAKING NEWS: Massive Series of Explosions rock Southern England

Sky News UK ^ | December 11, 2005

[Big Bad Bob]

Reports of up to Four Explosions at a fuel depot Near Hemel Hempstead, North West of London, according to Sky

__________________

Update:

Explosion Near London


The first picture, taken by a Sky News viewer

Map of the area

Updated: 06:41, Sunday December 11, 2005

There has been a large explosion followed by two smaller blasts in the St Albans area, around 25 miles north of London.

Sky Correspondent Sky Meade has said he can see flames about 200ft in the sky and there appears to be burning fuel.

Speaking by telephone from his home, Meade described "burning tongues" of flames in the sky.

The first blast happened at 6.03am - the other explosions followed about 20 minutes later.

Meade, a seasoned war reporter said he can see what looks like "burning aviation fuel".

"This fire is extremely intense. It is a bright orange glow on the horizon," he said.

Witnesses have told Sky News they heard the blast near Junction 8 of the M1. It is thought to be centred around Bunsfield fuel depot, near Hemel Hempstead.

The blast was felt at Sky Centre - more than 20 miles away in west London.

It was so powerful it blew out the windows at a hotel in Hemel Hempstead. There are reports of injuries there.

And one witness has told how the explosion shook his mother's house and lifted the roof.

Witnesses have told Sky News that emergency services are converging on the area.

Sky News producer Anwar Tambe heard the blast from his home in Luton and is currently stuck in traffic on the M1.

He said blasts are "going off regularly" and debris has blown onto the motorway.

More follows...

[onyx]

Thank you! My computer was in the shop for nearly THREE WEEKLS! I'll read the linked article later this morning. Thanks again.

[Cindy]

UPDATE...

ARTICLE SNIPPET:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4517962.stm

Last Updated: Sunday, 11 December 2005, 07:23 GMT

E-mail this to a friend Printable version
Oil depot blasts cause casualties

Police have confirmed there were casualties at the oil depot
Three large explosions have taken place at an oil depot near Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire.
Police say there have been casualties. and officers are at the scene.

The first blast happened at 0603 GMT, at the Buncefield oil depot, close to the junction 8 of the M1 motorway 10 miles from Luton Airport.

The M1 has been closed both ways. Residents up to 30 miles from the scene reported hearing a "loud boom" and seeing flames "up to 60ft".

One eye witness told BBC News: "There are lots of houses damaged."

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

The M1 near the scene has been closed in both directions.

'House shook'

Eye witness Sam Matton, who lives half-a-mile from the depot told BBC News: "The sky is sort of orange. The flames have got to be 60ft up in the air.

"I was in bed, I was actually having a bad dream and I thought the world had ended.

"The loft hatch in my house has actually fallen out, my neighbour's window has actually broken from the impact.


ARTICLE SNIPPET: "I am about three miles from where the explosion took place but I can see flames high in the sky and smoke billowing everywhere
Duncan Milligan

"There was a first major explosion and about three explosions after that.

Dave Franklin told BBC News: "We woke up at 0555 GMT. There was a massive loud bang which broke windows above us and to the right. The whole sky just turned orange and black.

"Several other neighbours said they did see a plane go into the depot."

Duncan Milligan, of Hemel Hempstead, said he was awoken by the explosion as his house "shook".

"There was a loud boom and the house shook violently.

"I am about three miles from where the explosion took place but I can see flames high in the sky and smoke billowing everywhere.

"There is clearly a building on fire near the motorway and police and emergency services are everywhere."

Michael Vatty said: "There have been four subsequent very loud explosions, but the main one was just after six.

"The impression was that it was a clap of thunder, but as soon as we got up we saw the flames. We had the garage door blown in, the front door was also blown in.""

[mfccinsd]

Sure thing! I just couldn't believe it when I heard the alert for the news about 50 minutes ago mentioning explosions in London, since I had JUST read the article about 5 minutes earlier about the UK alert...so of course I stayed up and hopped over here knowing you all would be up and on it! After all the odd plane incidents this week, those comments caught my eye along the way...

[little jeremiah]

Right after I made my little comment, alert freepers posted all the relevant comments in their entirety.

I should do what I do best on these breaking news threads: Read and be quiet! And, of course, hitting the refresh button expertly.

[Big Bad Bob]

8 people dead - reports on sky

[DrGunsforHands]

That's true. Or it might be that it's a major news story/historical event and now I get to live through it and experience it and it's consequences as it happens. The worse it is, the more phenomenol the experience will be. Especially because it's something that might not ever happen again. Like the Tsunami and bad hurricanes. And the more injured/killed and the more damage, the bigger the story and its impact on history will be. And I'll have been there, watching events unfold as they happen!

[Nasty McPhilthy]

Plane or missile?

[Americanwolf]

Only the ones that can run fast.

How disturbingly true that is! poor sheep....

[FairOpinion]

Oh, no. I appreciate your response.

I totally missed the plane angle, when there is a fast moving thread, I tend to read only the last few posts, and the plane info was in the middle.

I rather get more info, than have everyone assume someone else is going to explain, then nobody does.

[tcrlaf]

Sky updated the website at :38, and has video of flames in the sky.....

[Diddle E. Squat]

Before an urban myth develops about that 'witness' hearing a plane right before the explosion, let's look closely:

"I am in Carshalton Surrey, and heard a plane flying overhead that did not sound right. This was shortly before the explosion, which we heard."

I looked it up on a map, and Carshalton Surrey is 30+ miles to the south of where this explosion occurred. So this chick is probably full of it, even if a plane ultimately is found to have been involved. But that won't get in the way of the jumping to conclusions...

[msnimje]

At the Depot or in surrounding houses/area?

[KittyKares]

If you are a subscriber, you can watch the coverage on the BBC web site. I am not, so I'm out of luck.

[little jeremiah]

Me too.

[Slings and Arrows]

How disturbingly true that is! poor sheep.... Now, now - shepherds need love too.

[FreedomCalls]

If you are a subscriber, you can watch the coverage on the BBC web site. I am not, so I'm out of luck.

Isn't that only for British IPs?

All the British radio stations are available. I just switched from BBC5 to 97.6 Chiltern Radio. A lady is reporting her husband was driving a truck nearby and the windows were shattered out.

M1 closed both directions from Junction 6 to Junction 12.

[Canard]

Yes, Carshalton is not anywhere near Hemel.

[Stayingawayfromthedarkside]

I had CNN International too along with CNNfn, but they changed to information for Katrina and Rita victims. So I can't find anything either.

[Dolphy]

Okay, I'll ping you...but I'm not sure how much more of the BBC I can take, so far they have spent more time on Richard Pryor and Iraq than on this. :)

[Cindy]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4517962.stm

Last Updated: Sunday, 11 December 2005, 07:23 GMT

E-mail this to a friend Printable version
"Massive explosions rock oil depot"

SNIPPET: "Police have confirmed there were casualties at the oil depot
Three large explosions have taken place at an oil depot near Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire.
Police say there have been casualties, and officers are at the scene. They are describing it as a major incident.

The first blast happened at 0603 GMT, at the Buncefield oil depot, close to the junction 8 of the M1 motorway 10 miles from Luton Airport.

The M1 has been closed both ways. Residents up to 30 miles from the scene reported hearing a "loud boom".

Those living nearby have been evacuated. Many houses have been damaged, with some reporting feeling effects from the explosion as far away as Oxfordshire.

Eye witnesses reported buckled front doors, cracked walls and shattered windows.

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

The Buncefield depot is a major distribution terminal operated by Total and part-owned by Texaco, storing oil, petrol as well as kerosene which supplies Luton airport.

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

No further details were available, he added."