(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...

[British chick]

The details of the situation with the explosions at the Oil Plant are sketchy to say the least. Initial eye witness reports suggested a plane was heard flying low overhead just before the explosions and some eyewitnesses even claimed to see a plane crash into the facility. All this has been reported by British media.

Whilst this is just conjecture, on July 7th the police said the underground bombings were "a power surge" for as long as they could get away with it. Once the bus bombing occurred, they then admitted it was a terror attack.

It's too early to call but an open mind is needed.

[toadthesecond]

Bear in mind that there's a fairly major international airport (Luton) about twenty miles away.

[johnny7]

Early on... ALL reports have to be taken with a grain of salt.

[ConsentofGoverned]

""...The cause of the explosion is not yet known but no third party - a plane or a terrorist - was involved... ""
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>....................
Just a spark in the middle fuel tank, move on now, no missile just people seeing burning fuel going up, ..

gotta wonder when they know the reason is not a terrorist when no one can get within 1000 feet of the explosions.

[Canard]

"Whilst this is just conjecture, on July 7th the police said the underground bombings were "a power surge" for as long as they could get away with it. Once the bus bombing occurred, they then admitted it was a terror attack."

That was a timeline of approx one hour. The first three blasts occured in underground tunnels where the first emergency services on the scene were unable to establish radio contact with the surface. Ninety minutes after the first bomb went off the police were confirming multiple bombs. Today we have an overground incident and the emergency services have been on site for over seven hours. It's too early for concrete conclusions, sure, but I just don't believe the cover-up conspiracy theories.

[mewzilla]

FWIW, if I recollect correctly, the nation's busiest FD and Hazmat departments are located in Houston. Hopefully this is an accident.

[Smile-n-Win]

I just don't believe the cover-up conspiracy theories.

It's not a conspiracy, it's just political correctness.

[John W]

How about somewhere between conspiracy and correctness?In that maintaining power via control is the main focus of governing agencies from the most to least powerful ones on earth.Their first thought after any "event" is how do I calm the seas so I can maintain my position.

[Smile-n-Win]

Yes, power-lust and PC are close relatives. The motivation behind promoting the latter often has to do with having a great amount of the former.

[ConsentofGoverned]

The impact of this "accident" will be felt in the oil markets on Monday..if another "accident" happens the price of energy (oil) could hit all time highs..
attacking the financial structure of the west - oil is the jugular exposed and very vulnerable ..hope this is really an accident but on 12/11/05 hmmm

[mewzilla]

I'm sure the authorities are checking it out to make certain. But percentages say it's an accident. Sounds like there are going to be some major traffic problems with a chunk of the M1 not open until Monday evening.

[British chick]

I wouldn't call it a cover-up. I would characterize it as being more willing to jump to the conclusion of events being an "accident" without any evidence and holding to that position for as long as possible.

[jimbo123]

The religion of peace at work...

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

British police said the cause of the large fuel depot explosions near Hemel Hempstead, around 40 km north of London, is not yet known but no third party, a plane or terrorists, was involved, the Sky News said on Sunday.

See my post #157 It is possible it was an accident. But as a disclaimer, this was in the early 70's and we knew right away what the cause of the explosion was even though it was pre-internet and pre-FR.

[jimbo123]

The authorities initially said the London subway attacks were accidental transformer explosions. They must protect muslims at all cost.

[ConsentofGoverned]

What do the percentages say about it happening on 12/11/05?? hope it was an accident as the size of this explosion was not contained much like our accidents here in America, do they not segregate storage from distribution racks??

[NCjim]

BlackBerry 7105t

Add this to your Christmas list...

[proxy_user]

I suppose you mean the security guard at the FujiFilm building next door:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4518426.stm

Mr Ashraf had been checking the building an hour before he was due to finish his shift, when he smelled fumes, said the 26-year-old, who works every Friday and Saturday night at the firm.

"It was really bad, I had popped my head outside and smelled it there too, then it was difficult to tell if the smell was coming from inside or outside the building."

Within seconds he was felled by the force of the explosion.

After he escaped two men from a nearby firm came to his aid and took him to their cabin, he said.

"It was awful, it was like we were in hell. The flames were 200ft high. We could see them growing."

"One minute everything is fine, the next minute everything just crumbled, and you really don't know what's happened, what's going to happen and you just try, you're hoping it's a nightmare and you're going to wake up out of it."

[gathersnomoss]

Hat bombs, oh the humanity.

[sheik yerbouty]

Or Sean bin Jihad..