Firefighters start tackling oil depot blaze

12:33pm Monday 12th December 2005

UPDATED Monday PM: FIREFIGHTERS have extinguished half the blazing fuel tanks at an oil depot in Hertfordshire more than 24 hours after explosions kick-started the inferno.

Crews are hoping to bring the whole of the fire at the Buncefield fuel depot, near junction 8 of the M1 motorway, under control by smothering the it with an immense blanket of foam.

But Hertfordshire Fire Chief, Roy Wilsher, has admitted that thermal currents from the fire may just vaporise the foam.

He said: "We are in uncharted territory.

"This is the largest fire of this kind that we in the UK and Europe have dealt with."

He said that he could not predict how long it would take crews to totally put the fire out.

Before using the foam, firefighters had been containing the blaze by maintaining a curtain of water between the flames and seven unexploded fuel tanks.

According to the fire service, around 20 tanks, each thought to hold three million gallons of fuel, were on fire at the height of the blaze, but 10 have now been successfully smothered.

Three, apparently accidental, explosions at the depot, thought to be the biggest in peacetime Europe, rocked the county early on Sunday morning, sending plumes of thick black smoke many hundreds of feet into the air.

The first blast happened at 0603 GMT and was in the Netherlands.

Witnesses said another two explosions, described by Bedmond residents as louder than thunder, followed the first at 0626 GMT and 0627 GMT.

Firefighters had been due to start smothering the blaze at midnight on Sunday after calling in stocks of foam concentrate from as far away as Hull, but concerns about the foam's effect on the environment delayed proceedings.

Pollution fears have since been satisfied and crews are using a crane and six high volume pumps, pumping water from the Grand Union Canal, to help create a foam blanket.

A total of 42 people were injured in the blasts, two seriously.

One person admitted to Watford General Hospital in intensive care with respiratory problems has been stabilised.

Another person in Hemel Hempstead Hospital was reported to be under observation.

On Sunday, walking wounded started arriving at hospitals before 0700 GMT, mostly those cut by flying glass.

Around 2,000 people were evacuated from the immediate area because of the incident although some have since been allowed to return to their homes.

About 70 schools in the area were closed on Monday due to road closures and health concerns about the smoke cloud.

Government agencies are currently assessing the health implications of inhaling the smoke.

Residents have been advised to stay indoors and to keep their windows and doors shut.

The M10 motorway remains completely closed and the public are being warned that the M1, which reopened on Sunday evening may be closed again if the smoke plume starts to settle on the road.

An inquiry into the cause of the blast cannot take place until the area has been made safe, but a spokesman from oil firm Total, which operates the depot denied that there had been leaks prior to the explosions.

Were you affected by the blast? If so, email your story to editor@watfordobserver.co.uk with your story.