(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

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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...

[Stayingawayfromthedarkside]

I am getting it now on my CNN channel. That is pretty scary. Prayers for those affected.

[Cindy]

You're welcome little jeremiah.
(Spare brain --- lol!)

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UPDATE...

Listening to CNN right now...apparently NO plane involved in this series of explosions. Still checking for updates...

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

Hertfordshire Police have given an official statement that no plane was involved.

[JWojack]

The police are saying that it was an accident - definitely.

How could then know that? Has someone admitted to making a mistake?

It appears that this is a major oil terminal for southern England; terror or no, it seems likely it'll have a major impact locally

[Cindy]

THANKS hemelresident for that update.

[scott7278]

Welcome to Free Republic -- stay safe!

[Dr. Eckleburg]

How could a blast be "heard from 40 miles away?"

[Diddle E. Squat]

Stay safe. Looks like several refinery fires I've seen in Texas, Lousiana, and New Jersey here in the United States. They occur from time to time, and are quite dramatic (and costly, too.) A shame that there are casualties.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

Big sucker. CNN says they're leaving coverage on the US feeds, but are keeping it on CNN international.

[Diddle E. Squat]

How could a blast be "heard from 40 miles away?"

Because it can? We had an explosion in Deer Park, TX that set off the seismographs at Rice University in Houston, 20 miles away.

[Canard]

"How could a blast be "heard from 40 miles away?"

People are reporting that they were woken up by it at a further distance than that. Big bang.

[Just Lori]

Prayers up!

[thecabal]

The police are saying that it was an accident - definitely.

How could then know that? Has someone admitted to making a mistake?

Standard law enforcment MO. How would they know one way or the other? The fact that they are so quick to say it wasn't terrorist related makes me seriously question that analysis.

P.S. Damn CNN back to tape now

[cynwoody]

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

Given the scale of the Texas City Disaster of 1947, it would have made Osama proud to have been able to claim credit. Certainly it put Tim McVeigh's gadget to shame. But guess what? It was an accident!

Several big booms from an industrial area would indicate an industrial accident until proven otherwise. Several big booms at different locations at about the same time would indicate an AQ operation.

[Doofer]

How could a blast be "heard from 40 miles away?"

Turn up the volume on your hearing aid.....[grin]

[Diver Dave]

Welcome to FR. Thanks for the update. Our son-in-law's family live in Reading. Stay safe.

[Cindy]

Quick Investigators?

I don't know...more info needed.

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UPDATE...

Checking HemelToday.co.uk for updates:
http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/

[little jeremiah]

The only way they could know that it was an accident for sure is if they know what the accident was. And have they said what accident occurred? Did someone smoke a cigarette somewhere they shouldn't have? Or run a truck into something they shouldn't have? Or turn on or of a valve the wrong way? What was the accident?

Fingers tapping.

[JWojack]

It's astonishing that there's no live coverage on FNC or MSNBC.

[KittyKares]

Drudge has it now.