Incident Report

Subject:                       Second fire strikes near Buncefield Oil Depot

Date of Email reporting Incident: Wed 19/12/2007  

Report Detail:

Fire crews are tackling a huge blaze which has engulfed a recycling centre just 800 yards from the Buncefield oil depot.  More than 1,000 people were evacuated from Maylands industrial estate, in Hemel Hempstead, Herts, after the fire broke out at 9.50am today.  An aerosol can is believed to have started the fire after it ignited in a skip at Holywell Haulage recycling plant, Maxted Close.  A series of small explosions followed as more compressed canisters erupted into flames. A huge plume of black smoke can be seen rising from the blaze, and police have put up a 200 metre exclusion cordon around the scene. It is understood that the building has been safely evacuated and there have been no injuries reported.  Local MP Mike Penning, a former fire fighter, said: "This is a major fire, and because it is close to Buncefield it has attracted a lot of attention.  "Buncefield is about 800 yards away as the crow flies, but there is no threat that the flames will reach there, they have been well contained.  "There is a lot of black smoke being emitted, it seems to be coming from some diesel in there.  "But the firefighters are doing an excellent job and most people who were evacuated should be allowed back on the estate within a few hours."  Another witness, Edward Philips, said he could see "thick black plumes of smoke rising above the business park.  "It seems very reminiscent of the fire two years ago and obviously very close in time as well.  "The plume is visible from quite some distance away on the motorway."  The Buncefield oil depot fire started on December 11 2005, causing a series of huge explosions and injuring 43 people. It produced a huge black smoke cloud, clearly visible from satellite photographs, which drifted at 9,000 feet and could be seen across much of South East England.  Karen Hamilton, who works at a nearby cafe said: "It’s like Buncefield all over again. There is black smoke everywhere and people are being evacuated. It sounds like gun shots going off.  "I just can’t believe it - lightning doesn’t usually strike twice."

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A fire at an industrial estate which forced 1,000 people to leave their offices has been put out.
The fire was at Hollywell haulage company, a recycling facility in Maxted Close, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire.  Roads around the premises were closed and buildings near to the scene of the blaze were evacuated.  At the height of the blaze eight crews and 40 firefighters worked at the scene with six crews remaining to dampen down the area, Herts fire and rescue said. The fire was near to the Buncefield oil depot, which was the scene of an explosion in December 2005. Police said it was thought that materials in a skip had caught fire. There were no injuries reported.

#Black smoke
There were reports of a number of explosions, thought to be from aerosols, after the blaze started. One witness, Edward Philips, told BBC News 24 he could see "thick black plumes of smoke rising above the business park".  "It seems very reminiscent of the fire two years ago and obviously very close in time as well," said Mr Philips. "The plume is visible from quite some distance away on the motorway."
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Huge blaze revives Buncefield memories
Dozens of firefighters today battled a warehouse blaze a mile from the scene of one of the Britain's biggest explosions.  Staff were evacuated from the waste recycling plant in Hemel Hempstead, Herts, and no one was hurt, said fire service officials.  The fire broke out a mile from the Buncefield oil depot, which was destroyed in an explosion two years ago. "The fire's contained in one building - a waste recycling plant about 30m by 30m," said a fire service spokesman. "It's a large fire. We have about 40 firefighters at the scene and are working to contain it. No one has been hurt."   Witnesses said large plumes of smoke could be seen - bringing back memories of the Buncefield explosion. The oil depot blew up in December 2005 after a fuel tank overflowed. Firefighters said it was a miracle that no one died or was seriously hurt.