(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...

[I_Love_My_Husband]

Did everyone leave the thread?? I'm refreshing and it seems to be stalled.

[BurbankKarl]

Is that because you think the BBC is generally unbelievable?

[Gucho]

Live London Radio Updates on explosion

[COEXERJ145]

Forty miles for a blast to be audible is amazing.

My dad was living in Houston when the explosion happened in Texas City. His house was roughly 35-40 miles from the Texas City docks and he still remembers hearing the explosion and feeling the ground shake.

As a side note, the Texas City explosion had a yield in the low kiloton range and was comparable with some tactic nuclear weapons.

[little jeremiah]

I'm here but I shouldn't be, and I'm useless; just reading what others find.

[Canard]

"They need to prove that to me it really WAS an accident."

I'm sure that's the number one priority of the emergency services right now....

[2111USMC]

They probably just all stopped at the live British television feed that was posted a little ways back.

(I did)

[BurbankKarl]

60 million gallons of fuel.....it should have been big.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

Many of are jumping elsewhere for more info. I'm looking for satellite imagery of the area.

[msnimje]

I am curious how this is an accident and there are many other tanks there exposed to this intense heat and massive fire that have not blown up yet?

[scott7278]

Looks like you unclogged the thread.

[I_Love_My_Husband]

Why would I think the BBC is generally reliable? This is on all news stations in the UK currently.

[Dallas59]

Wonder if it was some of Britain's own nutzos and not the TROP...

[I_Love_My_Husband]

LOL. Thank you :)

[scott7278]

Thanks for the link!

[antaresequity]

bin Laden said to do this just last week.

Do you think Bin Laden is alive?

[Pimpmygop]

Where the hell is the MSM on this? You would think they would cover something like this. Fox and MSNBC doesnt even have it on the website. CNN International does, but you would think you would see this on TV.

[syriacus]

EuroNews-- operated by Total part-owned by Texaco. Supplies fuel to Heathrow and ???
Smell of petrol and aviation fuel. Major supplier of fuel and gas to ??? part of England. Seems no tanks left unscathed.

[scott7278]

I've got the TV and a live stream going; did the announcer say the explosion could be heard 15 or 50 miles away?

The number 40 was given earlier.

[BurbankKarl]

Uh...unless Natalee Halloway is there, you wont see it on Fox or MSNBC