Massive explosion at fuel depot

**ReeKorl** · 12-11-2005, 04:21 AM

At about 6.02 AM this morning, a huge explosion rocked Buncefield Fuel Depot in Hemel Hempstead, UK. The blast could be heard for over 100 miles and caused shattered windows a good distance out. The whole area has been cordoned off, closing section of three motorways, and the surrounding area has been evacuated.

BBC News
Sky News
Reuters

hmm.....

My office<--------800 yards-------->Buncefield Depot

Something tells me I'm not going to be going in to work tomorrow morning.....

**Grove** · 12-11-2005, 05:34 AM

This a good thing or bad thing ?

**DumberDrummer** · 12-11-2005, 02:20 PM

Wow!

At least it wasn't 10 oclock on monday.... then we might be short an RK.

So do you know if your building is still standing?

**ReeKorl** · 12-11-2005, 06:17 PM

Good or bad? Both really.

Good that it was at that hour or many more people would have been injured or killed.
Bad that that many people were injured or had their homes devastated.
Good that I can now work from home (Ha!) for the forseeable future. (Gimme a VPN connection and I may actually be able to do some work then!)
Bad that every idiot has now gone out to buy petrol and now run the fuel pumps dry. Again.
Good that even more fuel reserves have been depleted, giving people a chance to pressure certain agencies into looking into viable alternative fuels.

Overall, I'd have to say this was a good thing.

Apparently, there's a number of buildings surrounding the depot which have been reduced to rubble. I think my office has been left standing (it's built quite solidly), but there's no chance of it having any glass left and after the frost coming tonight I don't think there's going to be much left working in there, certainly not the servers and likely not the workstations.

Having said that, there's always the chance the building may go at any time. Here's a (very) basic ascii map of the surrounds:

Code:

x | --
xy|z--B
X | --
x | --

the x's are my office, the capital is the bit I work in. y is a gas station, | is a main road, z is another gas station, - is a field and B is the fuel depot. So far, only the depot has gone up, but if the two gas stations go up too.... well....

According to the higher ups, I'm not 'essential staff' so I'm not required to be in for tomorrow. Makes a change from me being worked off my a$$ because I'm the only guy in the country who can use the system I do..... I never will understand management.

**40sondacurb** · 12-11-2005, 07:25 PM

I read that they could hear it in Holland.

mimo2005 · 12-11-2005, 07:55 PM

pictures posted by piggarro99 from a different forum , this person lives close where the fire happened .

http://img501.imageshack.us/my.php?i...37000089wr.jpg

http://img381.imageshack.us/my.php?i...37000061wt.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...rro99/road.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...9/untitled.jpg

**Spatcher** · 12-11-2005, 08:08 PM

Holy chit!

**Grove** · 12-11-2005, 11:13 PM

Yup, its being shown here on the News.

I think they mentioned it'll take a few weeks to "clean up".

**myquitehead** · 12-12-2005, 01:28 PM

Ya our building in Hemel got hit by it too, we aren't supposed to try to call them today. Floating licenses seem to be working still though.

Where do you work Reekorl?

**bruiser** · 12-12-2005, 02:07 PM

THEY say it was an accident.

**Grove** · 12-12-2005, 07:00 PM

Got no evidence as of yet though. Flames are too big

**ReeKorl** · 12-13-2005, 10:52 AM

I'm in the old BP building - Breakspear Park.

[rant]

Now I'm working in Epsom. Which just happens to be a 2 hour commute each way.

I live a 10 minute walk from the St. Albans office, but for some reason I'm being made to do the commute to Epsom of all places each day.

There's people who live near the Birmingham office who are down here too..... why can't they just let us go to the nearest office

The company is paying travel expenses, and putting some people up in hotels for the week too. It must be costing them a fortune. Not to mention adding four and a half hours to my working day.

[/rant]

Update on the fire itself - the fire crews have finally put out the main fires in the fuel tanks, and are just working on the smaller concrete containers.

Total (the owners of the depot) denied there were fuel leaks before the explosion.

Police say there is no evidence found yet to suggest anything other than an accident.

**DumberDrummer** · 12-13-2005, 03:52 PM

just an accident? Fuel doesn't spontaneously combust

**Grove** · 12-13-2005, 06:06 PM

Something would have set it off .... Arsonists ? Workers ?

yustr · 12-13-2005, 08:19 PM

It does point out just how vunerable we really are. This looks to be a bit of human error (I think calling anything that happens because of human action or inaction an accident is a copout) but it could have easily been the work of not very sophisticated terrorists. Give me a rocket launcher and a pickup truck and I could do the same in LA or Houston or Milan or Sydney...And just think - this was petro. It could have been a much more toxic brew where the plume was lethal for many many miles.

Scary.

(PS: See don't mess with a liberal when he's feeling ornery...

)

12-11-2005, 04:21 AM	#1 (permalink)
ReeKorl Superhuman Computer Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: 6th Circle, The City of Dis, Hell Posts: 1,610 OS: WinXP Pro SP2 My System	Massive explosion at fuel depot At about 6.02 AM this morning, a huge explosion rocked Buncefield Fuel Depot in Hemel Hempstead, UK. The blast could be heard for over 100 miles and caused shattered windows a good distance out. The whole area has been cordoned off, closing section of three motorways, and the surrounding area has been evacuated. BBC News Sky News Reuters hmm..... My office<--------800 yards-------->Buncefield Depot Something tells me I'm not going to be going in to work tomorrow morning..... __________________ "Sorry, the number you have dialled is imaginary. Please rotate dial by 90 degrees and try again." Last edited by ReeKorl; 12-11-2005 at 04:22 AM.

12-11-2005, 05:34 AM	#2 (permalink)
Grove Professor/Moderator, TSF Design School Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Australia Posts: 2,383 OS: Windows Vista SP2 32bit	This a good thing or bad thing ? __________________ ========================================== Get Help: TSF Security Forum \| HijackThis \| MB's 5 Step Process Get Clean: AdAware SE \| Spybot S&D \| CWShredder \| Ewido \| CleanUp! Get Protected: SpywareBlaster \| SpywareGuard \| Windows Updates \| IE-SpyAd If TSF has helped you, please consider making a donation to help keep the board running.

12-11-2005, 02:20 PM	#3 (permalink)
DumberDrummer Cymru am byth Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Oregon Posts: 5,385 OS: Windows XP Pro SP2 My System	Wow! At least it wasn't 10 oclock on monday.... then we might be short an RK. So do you know if your building is still standing? __________________ Living with Louie dog's the only way to stay sane _____________________________________________ ... and with those words so begins my lifetime of longing for the devil's warm embrace

12-11-2005, 06:17 PM	#4 (permalink)
ReeKorl Superhuman Computer Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: 6th Circle, The City of Dis, Hell Posts: 1,610 OS: WinXP Pro SP2 My System	Good or bad? Both really. Good that it was at that hour or many more people would have been injured or killed. Bad that that many people were injured or had their homes devastated. Good that I can now work from home (Ha!) for the forseeable future. (Gimme a VPN connection and I may actually be able to do some work then!) Bad that every idiot has now gone out to buy petrol and now run the fuel pumps dry. Again. Good that even more fuel reserves have been depleted, giving people a chance to pressure certain agencies into looking into viable alternative fuels. Overall, I'd have to say this was a good thing. Apparently, there's a number of buildings surrounding the depot which have been reduced to rubble. I think my office has been left standing (it's built quite solidly), but there's no chance of it having any glass left and after the frost coming tonight I don't think there's going to be much left working in there, certainly not the servers and likely not the workstations. Having said that, there's always the chance the building may go at any time. Here's a (very) basic ascii map of the surrounds: Code: x \| -- xy\|z--B X \| -- x \| -- the x's are my office, the capital is the bit I work in. y is a gas station, \| is a main road, z is another gas station, - is a field and B is the fuel depot. So far, only the depot has gone up, but if the two gas stations go up too.... well.... According to the higher ups, I'm not 'essential staff' so I'm not required to be in for tomorrow. Makes a change from me being worked off my a$$ because I'm the only guy in the country who can use the system I do..... I never will understand management. __________________ "Sorry, the number you have dialled is imaginary. Please rotate dial by 90 degrees and try again." Last edited by ReeKorl; 12-11-2005 at 06:22 PM.

12-11-2005, 07:25 PM	#5 (permalink)
40sondacurb Don't be a menace Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 6,285 OS: Vista sp2	I read that they could hear it in Holland. __________________ Donate to keep the forum running

12-11-2005, 07:55 PM	#6 (permalink)
mimo2005 Manager, Emeritus Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 11,142 OS: xp	pictures posted by piggarro99 from a different forum , this person lives close where the fire happened . http://img501.imageshack.us/my.php?i...37000089wr.jpg http://img381.imageshack.us/my.php?i...37000061wt.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...rro99/road.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...9/untitled.jpg __________________ TSF has outgrown its server, again. Please help "Gutta cavat lapidem, non vi sed saepe cadendo"

12-11-2005, 08:08 PM	#7 (permalink)
Spatcher Henry Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3,484 OS: Mac OSX	Holy chit! __________________ JohnThePilot: Cenedl heb iaith, cenedl heb galon (a nation without a language is a nation without a heart) John Butler Trio: Go take a step outside, see what's shakin' in the real world - Good Excuse Paul Kelly: Just add a dollop of tomato sauce for sweetness and that extra tang - How to Make Gravy

12-11-2005, 11:13 PM	#8 (permalink)
Grove Professor/Moderator, TSF Design School Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Australia Posts: 2,383 OS: Windows Vista SP2 32bit	Yup, its being shown here on the News. I think they mentioned it'll take a few weeks to "clean up". __________________ ========================================== Get Help: TSF Security Forum \| HijackThis \| MB's 5 Step Process Get Clean: AdAware SE \| Spybot S&D \| CWShredder \| Ewido \| CleanUp! Get Protected: SpywareBlaster \| SpywareGuard \| Windows Updates \| IE-SpyAd If TSF has helped you, please consider making a donation to help keep the board running.

12-12-2005, 01:28 PM	#9 (permalink)
myquitehead TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 572 OS: XP Pro Sp1	Ya our building in Hemel got hit by it too, we aren't supposed to try to call them today. Floating licenses seem to be working still though. Where do you work Reekorl?

12-12-2005, 02:07 PM	#10 (permalink)
bruiser TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 1,973 OS: xp	THEY say it was an accident.

12-12-2005, 07:00 PM	#11 (permalink)
Grove Professor/Moderator, TSF Design School Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Australia Posts: 2,383 OS: Windows Vista SP2 32bit	Got no evidence as of yet though. Flames are too big __________________ ========================================== Get Help: TSF Security Forum \| HijackThis \| MB's 5 Step Process Get Clean: AdAware SE \| Spybot S&D \| CWShredder \| Ewido \| CleanUp! Get Protected: SpywareBlaster \| SpywareGuard \| Windows Updates \| IE-SpyAd If TSF has helped you, please consider making a donation to help keep the board running.

12-13-2005, 10:52 AM	#12 (permalink)
ReeKorl Superhuman Computer Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: 6th Circle, The City of Dis, Hell Posts: 1,610 OS: WinXP Pro SP2 My System	I'm in the old BP building - Breakspear Park. [rant] Now I'm working in Epsom. Which just happens to be a 2 hour commute each way. I live a 10 minute walk from the St. Albans office, but for some reason I'm being made to do the commute to Epsom of all places each day. There's people who live near the Birmingham office who are down here too..... why can't they just let us go to the nearest office The company is paying travel expenses, and putting some people up in hotels for the week too. It must be costing them a fortune. Not to mention adding four and a half hours to my working day. [/rant] Update on the fire itself - the fire crews have finally put out the main fires in the fuel tanks, and are just working on the smaller concrete containers. Total (the owners of the depot) denied there were fuel leaks before the explosion. Police say there is no evidence found yet to suggest anything other than an accident. __________________ "Sorry, the number you have dialled is imaginary. Please rotate dial by 90 degrees and try again."

12-13-2005, 03:52 PM	#13 (permalink)
DumberDrummer Cymru am byth Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Oregon Posts: 5,385 OS: Windows XP Pro SP2 My System	just an accident? Fuel doesn't spontaneously combust __________________ Living with Louie dog's the only way to stay sane _____________________________________________ ... and with those words so begins my lifetime of longing for the devil's warm embrace

12-13-2005, 06:06 PM	#14 (permalink)
Grove Professor/Moderator, TSF Design School Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Australia Posts: 2,383 OS: Windows Vista SP2 32bit	Something would have set it off .... Arsonists ? Workers ? __________________ ========================================== Get Help: TSF Security Forum \| HijackThis \| MB's 5 Step Process Get Clean: AdAware SE \| Spybot S&D \| CWShredder \| Ewido \| CleanUp! Get Protected: SpywareBlaster \| SpywareGuard \| Windows Updates \| IE-SpyAd If TSF has helped you, please consider making a donation to help keep the board running.

12-13-2005, 08:19 PM	#15 (permalink)
yustr Asst. Manager, The Conversation Pit Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Connecticut shore Posts: 6,050 OS: XP Pro My System	It does point out just how vunerable we really are. This looks to be a bit of human error (I think calling anything that happens because of human action or inaction an accident is a copout) but it could have easily been the work of not very sophisticated terrorists. Give me a rocket launcher and a pickup truck and I could do the same in LA or Houston or Milan or Sydney...And just think - this was petro. It could have been a much more toxic brew where the plume was lethal for many many miles. Scary. (PS: See don't mess with a liberal when he's feeling ornery... ) __________________ If there are lawyers or politicians involved, logic may be a very poor tool for reaching a conclusion.