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Encyclopedia > 2005 Hertfordshire Oil Storage Terminal fire
Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire
In this satellite photo the pollution from the explosions, appearing black, is spreading in two main streams from the explosion site at the apex of the inverted 'v'.
The orange dot is a marker, not the actual fire.
The fire seen from a vantage point between the Northgate and 3Com buildings.
The fire seen from a vantage point between the Northgate and 3Com buildings.
Smoke from blasts, six hours after and twenty five miles away in Buckinghamshire.
The smoke plume from Dunsmore, Bucks (about twenty miles away).
Aerial photograph showing the Northgate building (centre) and the Fujifilm building (upper centre), both of which were so badly damaged that they have since been demolished and entirely removed. Some of the oil tanks are visible at the right of the photograph.

The 2005 Hertfordshire Oil Storage Terminal fire was caused by a series of explosions early on the morning of 11 December 2005. The terminal, generally known as the Buncefield Depot, is an oil storage facility located near the M1 motorway on the edge of Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire, England. News reports described the incident as the biggest of its kind in peacetime Europe,[1] The tank fires were extinguished by the afternoon of 13 December 2005. However, one storage tank re-ignited in the evening, and the firefighters left it to burn, rather than attempting to re-extinguish it. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Red_pog. ... Image File history File links Hemel_Hempstead_fuel_explosion_map. ... Image File history File links Hemel_Hempstead_fuel_explosion_map. ... Image File history File links Buncefield2. ... Image File history File links Buncefield2. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 165 KB) Summary Copyright V Greenstreet Licensing File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 165 KB) Summary Copyright V Greenstreet Licensing File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Buckinghamshire (abbreviated Bucks) is one of the home counties in South East England. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1280x853, 283 KB) Summary Photograph of the smoke plume from the Buncefield fire taken from Dunsmore, Bucks (about 20 miles away) at 8:08am, 11 December 2005 by me, Peter Dean Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby release it... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1280x853, 283 KB) Summary Photograph of the smoke plume from the Buncefield fire taken from Dunsmore, Bucks (about 20 miles away) at 8:08am, 11 December 2005 by me, Peter Dean Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby release it... The village pond at Dunsmore The Church of the Resurrection, Dunsmore Dunsmore is a hamlet in the parish of Ellesborough, in Buckinghamshire, England. ... Buckinghamshire (abbreviated Bucks) is one of the home counties in South East England. ... Image File history File links Northgate_Arial_Photo. ... Image File history File links Northgate_Arial_Photo. ... is the 345th day of the year (346th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Hertfordshire Oil Storage Terminal, known locally as the Buncefield oil depot, is an oil depot located on the edge of Hemel Hempstead (Grid reference TL087084) to the north of London in the United Kingdom. ... The M1 motorway heading south towards junction 37 at Barnsley, South Yorkshire. ... Hemel Hempstead is a town in Hertfordshire, England with a population of 81,143 at the 2001 Census. ... For the similarly named county in the West Midlands region, see Herefordshire. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...


The Amoco Oil Refinery fire in Pembroke dock in August 1984 which burnt for 18 days and saw over 250 firefighters from all around Wales, Midlands and South West England was much bigger. This article is about the year. ... This article is about the country. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ...

Contents

The incident

Explosion and fire

The first and largest explosion occurred at 06:01 UTC near container 912. From all accounts, it seems to have been an unconfined vapour cloud explosion. Because of an inversion layer, the explosions were heard a hundred miles (160 km) away; there were reports it was audible in France and the Netherlands.[2] The British Geological Survey monitored the event, which measured 2.4 on the Richter scale.[3] It was reported that people were woken in south London, and as far west as Wokingham, where in its southern suburb, Finchampstead, numerous people felt the shockwave after the initial explosion. Subsequent explosions occurred at 06:27 and 06:28. Witnesses observed flames hundreds of feet high from many miles away, with the smoke cloud visible from space, and as far north as Lincolnshire. ... Vapor (US English) or vapour (British English) is the gaseous state of matter. ... Smoke rising in Lochcarron is stopped by an overlying layer of warmer air. ... The British Geological Survey is a publicly-funded body which aims to advance geoscientific knowledge of the United Kingdom landmass and its continental shelf by means of systematic surveying, monitoring and research. ... The Richter magnitude test scale (or more correctly local magnitude ML scale) assigns a single number to quantify the size of an earthquake. ...


Damage from the blasts, ranging from broken windows (including Holy Trinity, the local church and Leverstock Green School losing over 90 panes) and blown-in or warped front doors to an entire wall being removed from a warehouse, occurred more than half a mile (800 m) away. Buildings in neighbouring St Albans also suffered: for example, Townsend School had serious blast damage, and a window was blown out of St Albans Abbey (both c. 5 miles (8 km) from the site). Several nearby office blocks were hit so badly that almost every window, front and back, was blown in as the explosion ripped through them. Had this happened during the working day, these offices would have been full of people; possibly causing many deaths. Reports also indicated that cars in nearby streets caught fire. The roof of at least one house was blown off. Buildings in the vicinity were evacuated by police, not only because of the smoke and possibility of more explosions but because of the danger of structural damage making the buildings unstable. , St Albans is the main urban area of the City and District of St Albans in southern Hertfordshire, England, around 22 miles (35 km) north of central London. ... St Albans Cathedral from the west. ...


There were 43 reported injuries; two people were deemed to be seriously injured enough to be kept in hospital, one in Watford General Hospital, with breathing difficulties, and another in Hemel Hempstead Hospital; they were not in a life-threatening condition. Some early media reports spoke of eight fatalities, but these may have been persons missing. All members of staff from the terminal were accounted for. For other uses, see Watford (disambiguation). ...


Hertfordshire police and fire services and the Member of Parliament for the area, Mike Penning, said that there were seven fuel tanks on the site which, as of 14:00 on 12 December, had not been affected; these tanks were at risk of exploding if the fire were to spread. A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a parliament. ... Michael Alan Penning (b. ... is the 346th day of the year (347th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...


Tackling the blaze

Around 150 firefighters were called to the incident--they began to tackle the blaze at 08:20 on the morning of 12 December, putting in containment measures before applying a large quantity of foam. It was estimated that this would be the largest 'single-seat' fire in the world ever to be fought by a fire brigade, and foam supplies from sites all over the UK were drawn upon. Plans had been in place to start using foam at midnight on 11 December, but were delayed by last-minute concerns over possible pollution of local rivers and underlying water sources from contaminated water used to fight the fires. Six high volume pumps were used to extract 25,000 litres of water per minute (91 gallons per second) from a reservoir 2.4 kilometers (1.5 miles) from the fire, with six more high volume pumps deployed at various locations to serve as boosters.[4] 32,000 litres per minute (117 gallons per second) of aerated foam were directed against the fire for just over four hours, after which the pumping rate was reduced. Half the 20 individual fires were reported extinguished by midday. By 16:30 it was reported that a further two tank fires had been extinguished, but that one of the earlier extinguished tanks had ruptured and re-ignited, and was now threatening to cause the explosion of an adjacent tank. This led to the M1 motorway being closed again, the public exclusion area being widened and firefighters being temporarily withdrawn until the risk from the threatened tank could be determined. This article is about the profession. ... is the 346th day of the year (347th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 345th day of the year (346th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Air pollution Pollution is the introduction of pollutants (whether chemical substances, or energy such as noise, heat, or light) into the environment to such a point that its effects become harmful to human health, other living organisms, or the environment. ...


Firefighting operations were resumed at about 20:00 and it was anticipated that all fires could be extinguished during the night. Further damage occurred to one of the storage tanks in the early hours of the morning, causing firefighters to be withdrawn once more, but operations resumed at 08:30. By midday on the 13 December, all but three fires had been extinguished, although the largest tank was still burning. Bronze command (that is operations on the ground) was visited by the Bishop of St Albans, the local Vicar and the industrial chaplain supporting the fire crews to see how they were coping. The smoke plume had been considerably reduced and was more grey, indicating the amount of vapourised water now combining with the smoke. Firefighters were confident that the remaining fires could be extinguished during the day. It was reported at 16:45 that all tank fires were now extinguished, although some smaller fires remained. 75% of firefighters for Hertfordshire were involved in fighting the fire, together with support from 16 other brigades. The entire gold command operation involving many agencies as well as all the emergency services was run from Hertfordshire Constabulary's headquarters in Welwyn Garden City some distance from the fire. is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... It has been suggested that Gold Command be merged into this article or section. ... Hertfordshire Constabulary is the Home Office police force responsible for policing the county of Hertfordshire in England. ... Not to be confused with Welwyn. ...


A further fire broke out during the early morning of 14 December. Firefighters were of the view that extinguishing it would leave the risk of petroleum vapour re-igniting or exploding, so it would be better to allow the fire, which was well contained, to burn itself out.[citation needed] is the 348th day of the year (349th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...


Hertfordshire Fire Service's deputy chief Mark Yates stated that escaping petroleum vapour was the most likely cause of the original explosion and fire.


Some chemical components of firefighting foams may present considerable risks to water resources and various ecosystems, particularly those in riverine environments.


Smoke cloud

The black smoke cloud, which was clearly visible from satellite photographs, drifted at high altitude (around 9,000 feet, 2,750 m) towards Reading and Swindon, and could be seen across much of South East England. The small particles in the smoke, which contained hydrocarbons, can be an irritant but had low toxicity and were not expected to cause any long-term harm. The Met Office issued warnings that the smoke in the atmosphere could come down in rainfall during the night of 11 December.[5] , Reading is a town, unitary authority (the Borough of Reading) and urban area in the English county of Berkshire. ... , For other places with the same name, see Swindon (disambiguation). ... South East England is one of the nine official regions of England. ... A 3-dimensional rendered Ball-and-stick model of the methane molecule. ... The tone or style of this article or section may not be appropriate for Wikipedia. ... // Toxic and Intoxicated redirect here – toxic has other uses, which can be found at Toxicity (disambiguation); for the state of being intoxicated by alcohol see Drunkenness. ... The Met Office (originally an abbreviation for Meteorological Office, but now the official name in itself), which has its headquarters at Exeter in Devon, is the United Kingdoms national weather service. ... is the 345th day of the year (346th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...


For the first two days of the fire, the high thermal energy made the plume highly buoyant; this, together with settled weather conditions, allowed the plume to rise to a great height with little cross-mixing. When the fire was reduced in intensity it was reported to be possible that the plume would be less buoyant and that ground-level smoke concentrations could then rise significantly. Plume of the Space Shuttle Atlantis after launch. ...


By 12 December, it was reported that the smoke cloud had reached northern France; it was expected to arrive in northern Spain by the weekend.[6] is the 346th day of the year (347th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...


To investigate the smoke cloud the Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements, a research aircraft operated jointly by NERC and the Met Office, made two flights on the 12th and 13 December. In the first flight the edge of the plume was followed along the south coast of England. Carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and ozone concentrations were found to be low with soot particles being the major component in the cloud. The second flight went into the centre of the plume to obtain data to help forecasting and emergency teams.[7][8] NERC logo The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) is a British research council. ... is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Carbon monoxide, with the chemical formula CO, is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas. ... // The term nitrogen oxide typically refers to any binary compound of oxygen and nitrogen, or to a mixture of such compounds: Nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen(II) oxide Nitrogen dioxide (NO2), nitrogen(IV) oxide Nitrous oxide (N2O), nitrogen (I) oxide Dinitrogen trioxide (N2O3), nitrogen(II, IV) oxide Dinitrogen tetroxide (N2O4), nitrogen... For other uses, see Ozone (disambiguation). ... Particulates, alternatively referred to as particulate matter (PM), aerosols or fine particles, are tiny particles of solid or liquid suspended in a gas. ...


Reactions and response

Evacuations and closures

Hundreds of homes in the Hemel Hempstead area were evacuated, with about 2000 people having to find alternative accommodation, and emergency services asked residents of the smoke-affected areas to close their windows and doors and stay inside. Hertfordshire Constabulary advised people who had houses with smashed windows to seek refuge with friends or family nearby if possible. Some people whose homes were damaged by the blast were placed in hotels, while others stayed in a nearby shopping centre. Total, the operator of the Buncefield depot, set up a helpline for people whose properties had been damaged by the explosion, and called in local authorities and the Salvation Army to provide accommodation or other help. This article is about lodging. ... For the traditional meaning of the word mall, see mall. ... Total S.A. (Euronext: FP, NYSE: TOT) is a French oil company headquartered in Paris, France. ... Shield of The Salvation Army The Salvation Army is a non-military evangelical Christian organisation. ...


About 227 schools across Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire as well as libraries and other public buildings were closed on December 12 and December 13 for public safety.[9] Police and local authorities advised residents to consult the "Hertfordshire Direct" website[9] for up-to-date information. The University of Hertfordshire campus located further afield in Hatfield remained open. Meanwhile, 78 schools in Luton borough were closed on 13 December and a limited number of schools in Bedfordshire. These were closed on the advice of Hertfordshire's Health Protection Agency that all schools should be closed in a 10-mile radius of the incident site due to concerns of the smoke plume and children's health. They reopened as normal on 14 December.[10] Students in Rome, Italy. ... Julio Pérez Ferrero Library - Cúcuta, Colombia A modern-style library in Chambéry A library is a collection of information, sources, resources, and services: it is organized for use and maintained by a public body, an institution, or a private individual. ... is the 346th day of the year (347th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The University of Hertfordshire is a modern university based largely in Hatfield, in the county of Hertfordshire, United Kingdom, from which the university takes its name. ... Arms of the former Hatfield Rural District Council Hatfield, originally Bishops Hatfield, is in the Welwyn Hatfield district of Hertfordshire, in the south of England. ... For other uses, see Luton (disambiguation). ... is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Bedfordshire (abbreviated Beds. ...


Transport disruption

The incident occurred close to junction 8 of the M1 motorway. The motorway was shut between junctions 12 and 6a (about eighteen miles or 29 km) shortly after the incident. Other roads in the vicinity, including the short M10 motorway, were also closed. The M1 motorway heading south towards junction 37 at Barnsley, South Yorkshire. ... M10 south of St Albans The M10 is a motorway in Hertfordshire. ...


Some local petrol stations reported long queues as people started panic buying. A spokesman for the Department for Trade and Industry gave assurances that no petrol shortage was likely to result from the incident.[citation needed] This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Panic buying is the act of people buying unusually large amounts of a product in the wake of a disaster or perceived disaster, or in anticipation of a large price increase or shortage, as before a blizzard or hurricane. ... The Department of Trade and Industry is a United Kingdom government department. ...


The oil terminal supplied 30% of Heathrow Airport's fuel, and because of the fire, the airport had to start rationing fuel. Some long-haul flights to the Far-East and Australia had to "pit-stop" at Stansted Airport or other European airports to refuel, while short-haul operators were asked to fuel their planes for the round trip before flying to Heathrow.[11] Fuel shortages continued for months after the explosion. London Heathrow Airport (IATA airport code: LHR, ICAO airport code: EGLL, and often simply Heathrow) is the United Kingdoms busiest and best-connected airport. ... Terminal building, designed by Sir Norman Foster Stansted Airport is a medium-sized passenger airport with a single runway, located in the English county of Essex about thirty miles north of London. ...


Business disruption

A number of companies was affected by an inability to reach premises used for distribution even where the premises themselves were largely unaffected by the blast.


The worst hit of the buildings were the Northgate Information Solutions headquarters and the Fujifilm building, both of which were totally devastated. As of December 13 their building was completely unusable. The Fujifilm building was rendered unsafe, and demolition began soon afterwards. By June 2006 it had been completely removed from the site. The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... Fujifilm Holdings Corporation or Fujifilm ) is a Japanese company known for its photographic film and cameras. ... is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...


The Northgate and Fujifilm buildings were closest to the blast, although the surrounding Catherine House (to the north), Keystone Distribution building (to the west), 3Com Corporation and RO buildings (to the south), were also extensively damaged. As a result of the destruction of the equipment in the Northgate building several websites it hosts were inaccessible—including that of the Labour Party. Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge was also affected with the IT system dealing with admissions and discharges needing to be replaced for several days by a manual system.[12] 3Com (NASDAQ: COMS) is a manufacturer best known for its computer network infrastructure products. ... The Labour Party is a political party in the United Kingdom. ... Addenbrookes Hospital is a large teaching hospital in Cambridge, England, with strong links to the University of Cambridge. ...


Local criticism

Criticism was expressed by local citizens and the local MP that originally the depot had been constructed away from other buildings, but that developmental pressures had led to both houses and commercial premises being built near the depot. The British residential property market has experienced a rise in house prices significantly above base rate inflation over the past few years (beginning around 2000/1). ...


Legal action

A total of 2,700 claims have been filed by residents, businesses and insurers. A group of 146 claimants are hoping to bring a class action against Hertfordshire Oil Storage Ltd. On 17 March 2006 a High Court official, Senior Master Turner, adjourned a hearing on whether to permit the class action until October 2006.[13]


Groundwater pollution

In May 2006 Three Valleys Water announced that it had detected the fire retardant perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), used in fire fighting foam, in a ground water bore hole close to the Buncefield site. It stated that no water from this well entered the public water supply and that a nearby well and pumping station had been closed since the fire as a precaution. The chemical is a known health risk and the UK government had been about to ban its use. However just before the announcement, the Drinking Water Inspectorate announced that it was increasing the safe level of the chemical in drinking water. Hemel Hempstead MP, Mike Penning accused the government of changing the rules to suit the situation in which PFOS levels in drinking water in the area may rise in the future.[14] Three Valleys Water plc is a privately-owned company supplying water to parts of Hertfordshire and Surrey, in England. ... Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is an artificial acid that has many industrial uses. ... Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is an artificial acid that has many industrial uses. ... Drinking Water Inspectorate is a section of Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs set up to regulate the water supply companies in England and Wales. ... Michael Alan Penning (b. ...


Inquiry

A government inquiry held jointly by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Environment Agency was started, but calls for a full public enquiry were declined.[15] The Board included Lord Newton of Braintree, Prof Dougal Drysdale, an authority on fire safety and Dr Peter Baxter, a medical expert. Environment Agency and HSE staff were also on the board. Its aim was to identify the immediate causes of the explosion, rather than consider who was to blame for any deficiencies, so as not to prejudice further legal proceedings. An initial progress report by the Major Incident Investigation Board on 21 February 2006 did not go into the causes of the explosion, but summed up the event and the immediate reaction from the emergency services.[16][17] A second progress report, published 11 April 2006, looked at the environmental impact. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), reporting to the Health and Safety Commission, is the British government body responsible for the regulation of risks to health and safety in the UK. It was created as a result of the Health and Safety at Work, etc, Act 1974, and has since... (see also the List of environmental organizations) The Environment Agency (Welsh: Asiantaeth yr Amgylchedd) of England and Wales was created by the Environment Act 1995, along with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. ... Tony Newton, Baron Newton of Braintree, PC (born August 29, 1937), is a British Conservative politician and former Cabinet member. ... Professor Dougal Drysdale (born in Scotland,UK) is a Professor Emeritus in Fire Safety Engineering at The University of Edinburgh and member of the BRE Centre for Fire Safety Engineering. ...


A further announcement was made on 9 May 2006 about the sequence of events which caused the explosion. Starting at 19:00 on the evening of 10 December Tank 912, towards the north west of the main depot, was filled with unleaded petrol. At midnight the terminal closed, and a check was made of the contents of tanks which found everything normal. From about 03:00 the level gauge for Tank 912 began indicating an unchanging level reading, despite filling continuing at 550 cubic metres per hour (19,500 cu ft per hour). Calculations show that the tank would have begun to overflow at about 05:20. 40 minutes later, an estimated 300 tonnes of petrol would have spilled down the side of the tank onto the ground inside bund wall A - a semi-enclosed compound surrounding several tanks. There is evidence suggesting that a high level switch, which should have detected that the tank was full and shut off the supply, failed to operate. CCTV footage shows a cloud of vapour 1 to 2 metres (3 to 7 feet) deep flowing away from the tank. By 06:01, when the first explosion occurred, the cloud had spread beyond the boundaries of the site.[citation needed] Gasoline, as it is known in North America, or petrol, in many Commonwealth countries (sometimes also called motor spirit) is a petroleum-derived liquid mixture consisting primarily of hydrocarbons, used as fuel in internal combustion engines. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... Bunding, also called a bund wall, is the area within a structure designed to prevent inundation or breaches of various types. ...


The extent of the damage meant it was not possible to determine the exact source of ignition, but possibilities include an emergency generator and the depot's fire pump system. The investigators did not believe that it was caused either by the driver of a fuel tanker, as had been speculated, or by anyone using a mobile phone. It was felt unlikely that the explosion had a widespread effect on air quality at ground level. This article is about machines that produce electricity. ...


Responsibility and legal claims

On 23 May 2008 a High Court judge ruled that Total UK was negligent over the cause of the explosion. Mr Justice David Steel issued a summary judgment after hearing that both Total and Hertfordshire Oil Storage Ltd (HOSL), had agreed that negligence was the cause. Total UK said that the duty supervisor at the time was responsible for the explosion but it refused to admit either civil or criminal liability for the incident. Claimants, include insurance companies, small businesses and about 280 families whose properties were damaged or destroyed. They are claiming up to £1 billion in damages. Total UK intends to argue that it should not be liable for damages because it could not reasonably have foreseen that it would cause the destruction it did. [18] Her Majestys High Court of Justice (usually known more simply as the High Court) is, together with the Crown Court and the Court of Appeal, part of the Supreme Court of Judicature of England and Wales (which under the Constitutional Reform Act 2005, is to be known as the... Total S.A. (Euronext: FP, NYSE: TOT) is a French oil company headquartered in Paris, France. ... The Hertfordshire Oil Storage Terminal, known locally as the Buncefield oil depot, is an oil depot located on the edge of Hemel Hempstead (Grid reference TL087084) to the north of London in the United Kingdom. ...


The terminal

Main article: Hertfordshire Oil Storage Terminal

The Hertfordshire Oil Storage Terminal (HOSL - Hertfordshire Oil Storage Ltd), generally known as the Buncefield complex, was the fifth largest oil-products storage depot in the UK, with a capacity of about 60 million Imperial gallons (273 million litres) of fuel, although it was not always filled. This was about 5% of UK oil storage capacity. It was a major hub on the UK's oil pipeline network (UKOP) with pipelines to Humberside and Merseyside and is an important fuel source to the British aviation industry, providing aircraft fuel for local airports including London Gatwick, London Heathrow and Luton airports. About half of the complex is dedicated to the storage of aviation fuel. The remainder of the complex stores petrol and diesel fuel for petrol stations across much of the South-East of England. The terminal is owned by TOTAL UK Limited (60%) and Texaco 40%. The Hertfordshire Oil Storage Terminal, known locally as the Buncefield oil depot, is an oil depot located on the edge of Hemel Hempstead (Grid reference TL087084) to the north of London in the United Kingdom. ... The Hertfordshire Oil Storage Terminal, known locally as the Buncefield oil depot, is an oil depot located on the edge of Hemel Hempstead (Grid reference TL087084) to the north of London in the United Kingdom. ... Imperial Measure was a former system of measurement used in some Commonwealth nations, most notably the United Kingdom and Canada. ... The United Kingdom Oil Pipeline (UKOP) is an oil products pipeline opened in 1969 and connecting the two (then) Shell refineries of Stanlow (Merseyside) and Shell Haven (Thames Estuary). ... East Yorkshire Holderness Kingston upon Hull Beverley Boothferry Scunthorpe Glanford Great Grimsby Cleethorpes The Arms of Humberside County Council Humberside was a non-metropolitan county of England from April 1, 1974 until April 1, 1996. ... Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. ... Gatwick Airport (IATA Airport Code: LGW, ICAO Airport Code: EGKK) is Londons second airport and the second largest airport in the UK after Heathrow. ... London Heathrow Airport (IATA:LHR, ICAO:EGLL), often referred to simply as Heathrow, is the United Kingdoms busiest and best-connected airport. ... London Luton Airport (IATA Airport Code LTN, ICAO Airport Code EGGW, previously called Luton International Airport) is an airport about 30 miles to the north-west of London in the town of Luton, Beds. ... An aviation fuel truck. ... Gasoline, as it is known in North America, or petrol, in many Commonwealth countries (sometimes also called motor spirit) is a petroleum-derived liquid mixture consisting primarily of hydrocarbons, used as fuel in internal combustion engines. ... This article is about the fuel. ... Modern gas station A filling station, gas station or petrol station is a facility that sells fuel for road motor vehicles – usually petrol (US: gas/gasoline), diesel fuel and LPG. The term gas station is mostly particular to the United States of America and Canada, where petrol is known as... South East England is one of the nine official regions of England. ... Total S.A. (Euronext: FP, NYSE: TOT) is a French oil company headquartered in Paris, France. ... Texaco is the name of an American oil retail brand. ...


The seat of the fire, and the worst damaged section, was "HOSL West", used by Total and Texaco to store a variety of fuels, and the neighbouring British Pipeline Agency area. British Pipeline Agency Ltd (BPA) is a joint venture between BP Oil UK and Shell UK. The company owns and operates the UK oil pipeline network of oil and gas pipelines which transport petroleum products and natural gas around the UK. Storage facilities operated by BPA include the Hertfordshire Oil...


Initial speculation on causes

The police issued a statement saying that they were treating the incident as an accident as opposed to a terrorist attack. Rumours of a deliberate attack, in the form of an aeroplane deliberately crashed into the site, spread in the initial aftermath of the explosion because of the distinctive noise the event made. They may have been given some credence because of the proximity of Luton airport to the site of the incident, and the fact that numerous flight paths crisscross the area. The following is a timeline of acts and failed attempts that can be considered terrorism. ...


Italian television stations early on the morning of the fire described the event as a possible terrorist attack and went to the extent of showing features on the July 2005 terrorist bombings. Speculation about the possible terrorist nature of the blasts was prompted by the fact that a videotape allegedly released by al-Qaeda four days previously had called for attacks on fuel depots and refineries containing oil "stolen" from Muslim countries.[19] However, the cause of the blasts will likely not be known until a full investigation is completed.[20] The 7 July 2005 London bombings (also called the 7/7 bombings) were a series of coordinated terrorist bomb blasts that hit Londons public transport system during the morning rush hour. ... Al-Qaeda (Arabic: القاعدة, the foundation or the base) is the name given to a worldwide network of militant Islamist organizations under the leadership of Osama bin Laden. ...


An oil industry specialist speculated on BBC News that a vapour leak could have built up to explosive concentrations because of the ground frost in the area keeping vapour concentration at ground level. This would have resulted in a fuel-air explosion. It is industry practice for detection systems to be in place to reveal leakages. In order for this scenario to be fulfilled, there must have been a leakage that was not picked up by the leak detection system.[citation needed] This article refers to the news department of the British Broadcasting Corporation, for the BBC News Channel see BBC News (TV channel). ... A high-impulse thermobaric weapon (HIT), also known as a fuel-air explosive (FAE or FAX), a heat and pressure weapon, or a vacuum bomb, consists of a container of a volatile liquid, in some designs including a finely powdered explosive component as a slurry, and (typically) two separate explosive...


A BBC News 24 interview with a petrol tanker driver, who was about to load his tanker at 06:00, reported a cloud of mist rolling in from the tank farm area behind the loading bay. All electric lights were turned off and they were ordered to leave the site on foot. As he was doing so, the blast blew him off his feet. In another interview, a security guard in a nearby office building reported an unusual smell of petrol inside his building before the explosion. Hertfordshire police reported speaking to a tanker driver concerned that switching the engine cut-off on his tanker might have triggered the explosion. BBC News 24 is the BBCs 24 hour rolling news television channel in the United Kingdom. ...


Other safety experts spoke of a known "weekend effect" in industry, in which weekend maintenance creates an unsafe condition.


A retired military explosives safety officer submitted a published paper on the explosion to the HSE inquiry.[21] The paper was intended to help those who lived close to petrol storage depots and who were worried about the risks they faced. It contained different views from those of other experts whose opinions had been voiced publicly. It was critical of the HSE's general safety culture.


One year on

An anniversary service was held in Holy Trinity Church Leverstock Green on Sunday the 10th of December at which the Bishop of St Albans spoke, calling again for a full public inquiry, for assurances that the local hospital would maintain its accident and emergency department, and for the community to continue to build on good relationships formed because of the blast.[22]


References

  1. ^ "Buncefield tank 'was overflowing'", BBC News. Retrieved on 2007-06-05. 
  2. ^ "Can sound really travel 200 miles?", BBC News. Retrieved on 2005-12-13. 
  3. ^ British Geological Survey. EXPL-HEMEL HEMPSTEAD. Retrieved on 2005-12-11.
  4. ^ FRSonline. High Volume Pumps at Buncefield. Retrieved on 2006-06-30.
  5. ^ "Smoke cloud spreading over South", BBC News. Retrieved on 2005-12-11. 
  6. ^ "Smoke of British Oil Depot Fire Reaches France", Anadolu News Agency. Retrieved on 2005-12-12. 
  7. ^ Natural Environment Research Council. Oil depot explosion. Retrieved on 2005-12-12.
  8. ^ Natural Environment Research Council. Oil depot explosion - update. Retrieved on 2005-12-14.
  9. ^ a b Hertfordshire County Council. Buncefield Depot Explosion – services affected. Retrieved on 2005-12-13.
  10. ^ Luton schools re-open. Luton Borough Council (2005-12-13). Retrieved on 2007-05-16.
  11. ^ "Oil fire leads to plane pitstops", BBC News. Retrieved on 2005-12-16. 
  12. ^ "Oil blaze hits hospital systems", BBC News. Retrieved on 2005-12-12. 
  13. ^ "Buncefield victims in court move", BBC News, 2006-03-17. Retrieved on 2007-05-16. 
  14. ^ Report on the Buncefield Investigation reports of May 06. Hemelhempstead Today (2007-05). Retrieved on 2007-05-16.
  15. ^ "Buncefield Victims Criticise Cover Up", PR Newswire, 2006-01-12. Retrieved on 2007-05-16. 
  16. ^ "Delayed Buncefield findings due", BBC News, 2006-02-21. Retrieved on 2007-05-16. 
  17. ^ "Questions still unanswered in Buncefield probe", Edie News Center, 2006-02-22. Retrieved on 2007-05-16. 
  18. ^ Total negligent over blast at Buncefield Alex Spence and Michael Herman , The Times, May 23, 2008. Accessed May 2008.
  19. ^ "UK Police Say Fuel Blasts an Accident", Forbes. Retrieved on 2005-12-11. 
  20. ^ [[1]]
  21. ^ Robert Willcox. Vapour Explosions. Retrieved on 2006-06-20.
  22. ^ Hemel remembers Buncefield one year on. St Albans Diocese. Retrieved on 2007-05-16.

Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 156th day of the year (157th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The British Geological Survey is a publicly-funded body which aims to advance geoscientific knowledge of the United Kingdom landmass and its continental shelf by means of systematic surveying, monitoring and research. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 345th day of the year (346th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 181st day of the year (182nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 345th day of the year (346th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 346th day of the year (347th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... NERC logo The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) is a British research council. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 346th day of the year (347th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 348th day of the year (349th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the similarly named county in the West Midlands region, see Herefordshire. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Luton is a large town and local government district situated in the south of England, located 51 kilometres (32 miles) north of London. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 136th day of the year (137th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 350th day of the year (351st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 346th day of the year (347th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 76th day of the year (77th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 136th day of the year (137th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 136th day of the year (137th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 12th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 136th day of the year (137th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 52nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 136th day of the year (137th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 53rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 136th day of the year (137th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 345th day of the year (346th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 171st day of the year (172nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 136th day of the year (137th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Further reading

  • Sceptre Fundraising Team (2006). The Buncefield Explosion. Sceptre Education. ISBN 0-9552759-0-3. 
  • Initial Report (PDF). Buncefield Major Incident Investigation Board (13 July 2006).

is the 194th day of the year (195th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

Coordinates: 51°45′49″N, 0°25′26″W Image File history File links WikiNews-Logo. ... Wikinews is a free-content news source and a project of the Wikimedia Foundation. ... is the 346th day of the year (347th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 345th day of the year (346th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 345th day of the year (346th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 45th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...



 
 

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