(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...

[JWojack]

CNN has live coverage.

Look at that fire! It's still burning very big and bright...

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

For those who cant see it, it's much larger than the last propane fires that were on the news a few months ago.

[tcrlaf]

Beat you by 1 second... Do I get a prize??

[Dolphy]

What bigger prize is there than the satisfaction of being first :)

[Canard]

And Police now specifically saying that reports of a plane going down are 'untrue'.

[Diddle E. Squat]

It seems difficult to believe that, given the scale of this, the cause could be anything other than "sinister."

Perhaps to those with little familiarity with industrial plants. The Houston area alone averages about 1 of these dramatic explosions per year or two, and none of those have ever been terrorism.

[Cindy]

Great minds and all that.

Well keep posting your updates.
I'm working on 2 items of interest
right now...and this brain is getting
a bit tired.

[scott7278]

That is simply unbelievable.

[woofie]

Bushs fault?

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

Witnesses report fireballs 100s of feet in the sky. They say police are treating it as an accident for now. Windows have been shattered a good distance away and there are reports of roofs caving in.

[Dolphy]

Here's an update...reports of casualties but police are saying (unofficially) that this is an accident.

[thecabal]

Wow, that sent a chill down my spine. What an image of Hell. Especially creepy is that wide angle shot from miles away. Huge smoke plume.

[newzjunkey]

and this brain is getting a bit tired.

Coffee coming right up!

[newzjunkey]

God bless firemen. Amen.

[tcrlaf]

BBC is showing a shot from a hillside a couple of miles away. ITV footage is MUCH more dramatic......

[little jeremiah]

Well, if that brain is getting tired, use the spare one!

Good night, and thanks for your research!

[Cindy]

Oh thank you so much.

Sounds just right!

[mfccinsd]

just sent an email saying nearly the same thing to a friend who's unable to get to a tv at the moment...........it is really phenomenal!

[hemelresident]

http://www.archimage.co.uk/ind_28_hemel.htm

That is the oil depot they are referring to - it is about 2 miles from my house - the explosion was unbelievable! I did hear a plane just before it happened, however, there are always planes going over here as we are near-ish to Luton airport so that may be a coincidence. Personally I would be surprised if it was terrorists of any sort but then I guess you never know. The flames are still burning though not as fiercely - well not that you can see from here anyway - but the smoke is horrendous. Thick and acrid - it has turned the sky totally black. .... that noise was the scariest thing... people heard from it from so far away too! Not what you expect on a Sunday morning!