(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...

[operation clinton cleanup]

The only threat we faced was by Pre-Shehan CNDers trying to climb the base fence!

[cricket]

Maybe a peaceful disgruntled employee.

'. . .it happens'. ;^)

Really wonder what was going on here for this to occur. . .Hope they get through the 'smoke' of it soon and onto the truth of the matter. . .

[SergeantsLady]

The lesson is, they will strike whenever convenient to them

You are right. But, I think I "like" the idea of a hidden code or pattern because a code can be broken and a pattern can be avoided...sometimes. I doubt terrorism can ever be eradicated (exception being the Day of Judgment that will settle the matter)...but when it becomes "inconvenient" for whoever supplies the money to feed the terrorists...maybe we will only have to spray every 6 months for these type of roaches instead of daily...

[operation clinton cleanup]

.maybe we will only have to spray every 6 months for these type of roaches instead of daily...

That would be nice, but I think we need to fumigate the house first!

[Canard]

"There were reports of a plane being both heard and seen by witnesses but again within minutes these reports were disputed. How the h*** could they know? The area was fully ablaze and no-one could get anywhere near to judge whether it was an accident or terrorists"

They could very quickly establish whether a plane was involved, without needing to be on site at all. This area is directly under the incoming flightpath into Luton, about ten miles from the runway. You can't just fly a plane into it without someone knowing about it.

[BykrBayb]

Thank you for verifying that some Brits are still not facing the reality that they are in a war. Ignoring it won't change that.

[BykrBayb]

Ever wonder how many people in the second tower could have been saved, if not for a false sense of security derived from being told that this was just an isolated incident?

That's hard to put a number to. If it had saved only one life, it would have been worth it to not tell such a blatant lie. But of course we all know that lie contributed to many many deaths. Yes, I've often wondered how many.

[little jeremiah]

I'm not jumping on any particular bandwagon, but here's one angle. If - IF - people who heard and/or saw a plane near the explosion site were correct, and my theory above of a plane dropping/shooting something on the leaked gas to cause an explosion is correct, the plane could be a small plane that didn't come from or land at that airport. Like a crop duster or other small plane. It looks like an agricultural area from pictures. I live in a rural area and there are more that a few really small little airports. Real small.

Not saying I believe any scenario more than another one. But I agree that for authorities to state, imply or say that an event is not terrorism, when it's too early to know with absolute assurance, is not reassuring.

[MikefromOhio]

This ain't our first trip to the rodeo, Mike.

Err ok. Whatever. Anyway, you DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING MORE THAN I DID when I posted that. But let's CONTINUE TO ASSUME. hell it could have been the IRA.

[DrGunsforHands]

It wouldn't even have to have been an airport. A small ultra-light or similar type plane could take off from any relatively flat strip of land. Heck, they could have even taken off on a flat stretch of roadway. I'm sure there are plenty of smaller such roads and areas in more isolated regions of the country.

[little jeremiah]

If more than one person either saw and/or heard a plane going over the depot right before the explosion, it does seem logical to conclude that they MIGHT have been right, not just dismiss their claims because there is no log of a plane taking off or landing at the nearby airport.

I just have this nagging distrust of government statements, that's the way I am and I can't change at this late date. I also have a nagging distrust of Islamic terrorists.

[little jeremiah]

Additional note - I live about 4 miles (maybe 3 as the crow flies) from a very small local airport. I've seen small planes take off and land (maybe 4 seaters at the largest) and had them fly directly overhead my property many times. Sometimes in the summer ultralights fly around too. I always hear them if I am outside, and anything larger than an ultralight I can usually hear inside the house unless I have some other loud sound going on. So the sound of even a small plane is not insignificant and is rather noticeable.

[wideminded]

The London bombings were on 7/11

Actually they were on 7/7.

[texasbluebell]

Give me one good reason the islamo facists wouldn't want him to appear on TV?

I can only guess that what some have said is correct: that he had cosmetic surgery to change his appearance.

Otherwise, he'd be out there taunting us on video.

[little jeremiah]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1538569/posts
Firecracker sparks blaze on wedding bus, killing scores

Interesting article. An accidental explosion, caused by firecracker meeting gas tank.

So, if the explosion/s at the fuel depot were caused by gas leakage meeting some kind of spark or fire, it could just as easily be accidental as a caused act. If it was terrorism, nothing could be cheaper or easier.

[papertyger]

You can't just fly a plane into it without someone knowing about it.

What is the altitude at which planes "drop off" radar in that area?

[AmeriBrit]

"The London bombings were on 7/11
Actually they were on 7/7."

My mistake, I know better, I apologize.

But you can still get a '3' and an '11' out of it.

7 + 7 = 14 - 3 = 11

:>)))

[papertyger]

Anyway, you DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING MORE THAN I DID when I posted that.

Yes, I did. I have been with this thread since the beginning, and I know there was absolutely NO ONE insisting this was terrorism, while you and a handful of others tried to sell the "some people on this thread think" crap.

THAT'S what puts an crease in MY shorts.

You flat out made it up, then threw rhetorical stones.

[AmeriBrit]

"The only threat we faced was by Pre-Shehan CNDers trying to climb the base fence!"

I remember all those 'fruitcakes'. They used to do the same over at Fairford too. I don't think any of them had any idea what they were protesting against. They knew they were disrupting NOP and there was a good chance they'd get their picture on the telly or printed in the local fish wrapper.

Were you there when Bentwater closed down?

[RegulatorCountry]

"Yes, I've often wondered how many."

It haunts me, if I let myself dwell on it. That's why I detest hearing an automatic dismissal of terrorism, when there cannot possibly have been time to make such a determination.