Explosion In Hemel Hempstead

[Tony-Bones]

Blown out of bed 6.05 this morning by the explosion 2 miles away OMG.... still dark now but the sky's a scary red.. word on the news is a 'plane' has flown into the Bunsfield oil refinery..... 'please no'. waiting for day light so i can check the house for damage, the wife (nurse) has had a phone call from the Hospital warning they are on 'Red alert'.

The explosion was like nothing i have ever heard.... like thunder but with no rumble, just an instant bang lasting about three seconds, made me jump three foot in the air from a deep sleep, that's how loud it was.... i feel this has killed many people since the area is highly populated.... gonna be a sad day for some people, i think i may have damage to my roof, little in comparison to a life.

[Adie]

Just watching it on the news now. Apparantly it was heard in south London and blew the roofs of the houses 1/4 mile away.

The M1 is also now shut both ways

[Nick The Greek]

I heard and felt this over in Chorleywood Tony. Woke me up also. Although I thought it was thunder so went back to sleep! Just waking now and looking out at the smoke which is everywhere....

[Tony-Bones]

I heard and felt this over in Chorleywood Tony. Woke me up also. Although I thought it was thunder so went back to sleep! Just waking now and looking out at the smoke which is everywhere....

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As i say I'm only a few miles away from the blast and the smoke is surreal, it looks like a volcano has exploded... I've took some pictures I'll try and get them up

[Tony-Bones]

Any Moderators reading this can you add an 'L' to the topic title please i feel embarrassed...... i was somewhat shaken at the time though

[andrew felmingham]

all family ok have 2 freind live 400yards away from dept carn,t reach them on phone yet what a wake up

[Tony-Bones]

all family ok have 2 freind live 400yards away from dept carn,t reach them on phone yet what a wake up 

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Mate did you hear the explosion, were in Hemel are you?

[Tony-Bones]

Any Moderators reading this can you add an 'L' to the topic title please i feel embarrassed...... i was somewhat shaken at the time though 

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Thank you!

[Rob's Lexx]

Just read this off the AOL news web-site:

"Police and emergency crews raced to the scene of the blasts which rocked Buncefield fuel terminal, near Hemel Hempstead, in Hertfordshire, around 6am.

There were unconfirmed reports of casualties at the depot.

Initial reports said witnesses heard a plane going overhead shortly before the first explosions - but police were quick to dismiss that suggestion, insisting the incident was an "accident''.

The first blast happened just after 6am at the fuel terminal in Leverstock Green, which is believed to supply aviation fuel via pipes to Heathrow airport.

A plume of black smoke hangs over the area

The force of the blast - which was heard up to 40 miles away - sent flames shooting 200ft into the sky.

A spokeswoman for Hertfordshire Police said: "Police and other emergency services are attending the area of Buncefield oil depot near Hemel Hempstead this morning following reports of an explosion just after 6am.

"There is nothing to suggest at this stage that this is anything but an accident, but we are keeping an open mind.''

Witnesses said homes and surrounding businesses were damaged by the force of explosions,

Residents nearby said they were awoken by a "loud boom'' as their houses "shook''.

People living as far away as Surrey reported that they heard the initial blast. Two smaller blasts followed at around 6.20am.

It is understood that windows of the Ramada Hotel, in nearby Hemel Hempstead, were blown out and a number of people were thought to have been injured.

Witness Paul Hayes said he was close to the scene of the blast on an industrial estate. He told Sky News: "I heard alarms going off. Buildings were smashed and falling down. Someone told me a petrol dump had exploded.''

The fuel terminal, which is close junction 8 of the M1 forced the closure of the motorway in both directions between junctions six and 10. The M10 was also completely closed.

An employee at Buncefield told BBC News 24: "The terminal is a joint venture between Total and Texaco. Two people were on the site but they are reported as safe.''

[Tony-Bones]

Apart from soot that has dropped down from the chimney, all seems well... something has hit my roof which i heard and can see the marks on the tiles but whatever it was must of bounced off and landed elsewhere. Scary to watch the news then look out of the window and see the tower of flame and smoke.... this is going to be a very sad day indeed.

[Doodlebug]

The explosion woke me up just after 6am, I thought it was thunder and our windows rattled.

I live just off J9 of the M25 so is a fair way from Hemel Hemstead so it must have been incredible and very very frightening for the local residents.

Sky news are waring people to stay indoors as the smoke contains toxins and there may be a rain cloud of unburnt oil later.

Keep your self and your family indoors Tony and shut all the windows and doors and above all stay safe.

[Tony-Bones]

The explosion woke me up just after 6am, I thought it was thunder and our windows rattled.

I live just off J9 of the M25 so is a fair way from Hemel Hemstead so it must have been incredible and very very frightening for the local residents.

Sky news are waring people to stay indoors as the smoke contains toxins and there may be a rain cloud of unburnt oil later.

Keep your self and your family indoors Tony and shut all the windows and doors and above all stay safe.

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Solid advice mate, luckily the smoke is just to the south of me... my only immediate worry ironically is the cat, he is no were to be seen, poor thing must of had 'pups' when the explosion happened... never heard a bang like it...no rumble... no echo.. just instant and very loud.... once i climbed down from the ceiling i knew something big had happened... never expecting the true events i thought is was a 'meteor' blast, hence the bang and no rumble.... sorry to be wrong... now events will involve many people.

[Kremmen]

Hope everyone is OK.

I'm 17 miles away near Heathrow but it woke us all up. We thought a lorry had crashed at the end of the road.

Went to get my normal tank fillup at 08:10 when it is normally quiet and I had to queue for petrol !

[norkep]

OMG - just watching this on TV, there are alot of VERY lucky people around there, still not sure of the exact cause but plane or terrorist threat has been ruled out, they reackon it could be days before the fire can be put on out.

16 Million Ltres of Fuel and 36 injured - someone up stairs was watching over them

Hope everyone involved in one way or another are OK. My thoughts goes to those how have been caught up in this.

[rajhirani]

I am stanmore, junction 5 off the M1, this woke my up in the morning, felt the vibrations, thought my conservatory had fallen down, or there must be a pipe burst in the loft, checked everything, then i thought i must have been dreaming! had a smoke a went sleep, woke up at 8 to see this on the news, those people who work in the depot are very lucky to be alive, feel sorry for them and the local residents, they are saying on the new that they will be evacuating the locals.

[chips229]

Watched it on the BBC news this morning

They said it will take days to put the fire out

Heres a new video link see for your self.

Click a video on the right hand side of the window.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/homepage/pr/bn/bnb...ews_console.stm

One of the links is a live News 24 hour feed.

[Parthiban]

This is unbelievable, must be a really deep sleeper tho cos I didn't hear a thing

Went out this morning tho, and you can really smell the smoke in the air :o

The size of the flames are quite worrying tho, seems the firefighters can't even get near, how much is in there? Will it take a long time to just burn itself out?

[norkep]

16 Million Ltres of Fuel , this depot also feeds the local airports,

The news is saying that the fire-fighters are only trying to stop the spread, the heat still too entense to be able to tackle the root of the fire.

[Cous3]

I'm in Ruislip, about 30 minutes away. The noise of the blast woke me, the windows rattled and my bedroom door closed!!

Firemen won't be able to go near it for ages yet, their brief will be to secure surrounding risks.........hopefully the fuel will have been isolated and will burn off, going to take awhile though.

If you're up that way, stay away from the smoke fumes as best you can!!

Spoke with my bro up in Luton, panic buying of petrol has already started, even though this was aviation fuel!!!!.....Eeeeeesh! :duh:

Keith

[LennyLexus]

i'm nearly 2 hours away, and i could smell the fumes outside at 12ish!!

[Claire G]

The rumblings from the blast woke my husband up just after 6am and we live no-where near Hemel Hempsted! Also woke my brother up (he's in Bracknell)

[Tony-Bones]

The rumblings from the blast woke my husband up just after 6am and we live no-where near Hemel Hempsted! Also woke my brother up (he's in Bracknell)

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I'm back...... sorry for the time information delay, there has been a stream of people from the south of Hemel that i know in my house... then came their mum and gran and grandad.......... imagine the scene... anyway those that have still got windows are allowed home by the police, and the rest now fully lagered up are going back whatever...... plus i now own one who lost the plot................. and is to ****** to go anywhere . i have been very lucky to miss all the smoke (so far) but it's very disturbing to shut the curtains to hide the 'glow' from the fire.....

[Rob]

now just wait for the petrol prices to go up!

[Tony-Bones]

now just wait for the petrol prices to go up!

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How.........typical is this.. Saturday on the way home from work i had to put the bike on fuel reserve... thought shall i stop and fill up?........................Naaaah I'll do it Monday...

Anyway with current events 'Hemel' on fire! i will post tomorrow and let everyone here know what the 'WALK' to work was like...

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And i must add...... In truth i still have not seen the cat and despite all the previous posts, i am now worried....

[MacRS200]

I'm back...... sorry for the time information delay, there has been a stream of people from the south of Hemel that i know in my house... then came their mum and gran and grandad.......... imagine the scene... anyway those that have still got windows are allowed home by the police, and the rest now fully lagered up are going back whatever...... plus i now own one who lost the plot................. and is to ****** to go anywhere  . i have been very lucky to miss all the smoke (so far) but it's very disturbing to shut the curtains to hide the 'glow' from the fire.....

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Tony

Glad to hear you are OK. Sounds just like you, refugee station set up and doing what you can to help.

I just thank *** that no one was killed.

And i must add...... In truth i still have not seen the cat  and despite all the previous posts, i am now worried....

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As for the cat I am sure the little fokker will be hiding somewhere and will appear in due course.