12/13/2005: Hemel Hempstead oil fire

Undertoad · 12-13-2005, 08:33 AM

It's been called Europe's biggest peacetime fire - this massive blaze at an oil depot has produced some remarkable shots from the sky. So far, though, it's thought that the massive black smoke is not a health hazard - hard to believe. There seems to be more worry about the fire-fighting foam they're using to help extinguish it. It may still be burning...

Trilby · 12-13-2005, 08:39 AM

That last shot is pretty impressive. Is this north of London?

glatt · 12-13-2005, 08:51 AM

Wow. Very impressive. And very dirty.

What a waste. All that pollution going up into the atmosphere, and we aren't able to harness it at all. Normally, we would get to move several hundred thousand cars around for the same amount of pollution, but this is just being wasted. What a shame.

Cyclefrance · 12-14-2005, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brianna

That last shot is pretty impressive. Is this north of London?

Picture quoted as being taken from Millennium Dome which is redevelopped Docklands area to east of central London. The tall buildings in the foreground right are in Canary Wharf, with the main Canary Wharf tower blocked out almost by the other buildings - you can just see the pyramid top as a black object behind the others.

Below map shows approximate angle of view looking across north and east of London towards fire located north-west of London

insomnianiac · 12-14-2005, 03:24 PM

This is a map showing where Hemel is in relation to London.

I live in Hemel, in an area called Gadebridge.

The next link will take you to a map that shows where I am in relation to the oil depot.

Gadebridge can be seen in the centre square on the left hand side of the map &
the Buncefield Oil Depot is, or should I say, was in the centre square on the right hand side....

http://tinyurl.com/8yvqb

I don't have a camera, typically, but I did mange to get one picture with my webcam from my living room window.

It isn't that great

, & it certainly doesn't do justice to how near and how dark the smoke stack was,
but I thought I'd show you it anyway

http://tinyurl.com/9a7c7

Undertoad · 12-13-2005, 08:47 AM

About 20 miles north.

Sundae · 12-13-2005, 08:51 AM

Hemel Hempstead is 14 miles from my family's home town. They were all woken up & listened immediately for sirens, thinking it was a bomb, that the nearest garage had blown up or that a local factory tower (under demolition) had come down.

Luckily (for them) Aylesbury is North of Hemel, so they are not even in any potential danger from the smoke, which is headed South.

I hadn't seen that picture before though - it's really impressive. If that's the right word to use...

grazzers · 12-13-2005, 09:15 AM

Wow, those are great pics! I was watching the news on the morning of the explosions, thinking there would be dozens of people killed, then the BBC reported the police as saying only limited injuries. Oddly though, half an hour later, ITV news (which I hate for it's ignorance) reported the police as saying no injuries... Very odd.

Love the satellite pics of the smoke too, got any of those?

Undertoad · 12-13-2005, 10:16 AM

This is not the best of them... I can't really make out what's fire and what's Parisian ghettos.

Wormfood · 12-13-2005, 12:06 PM

Are they sure this isn't a vulcano poping up near London.

Elspode · 12-13-2005, 01:40 PM

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we welcome you to Virtual Saudi Arabia 1991!"

capnhowdy · 12-13-2005, 01:59 PM

Quote:

So far, though, it's thought that the massive black smoke is not a health hazard - hard to believe.

Extremely hard to believe!

Happy Monkey · 12-13-2005, 03:09 PM

I suspect there's some.. ah.. "information management" going on. Just like the US Gov't. said that the WTC debris wasn't harmful. They figure that by the time it comes out that they're lying, it will be too late, and they'll have avoided a panic. And maybe they can scapegoat some scientist and/or pass a law preventing lawsuits.

xoxoxoBruce · 12-13-2005, 08:04 PM

The massive black smoke is not a health hazard..... because it's headed for France.

Griff · 12-14-2005, 05:51 AM

[world]Of course, you English know this will count against your Kyoto emissions. Tough luck, that.[/police]

12-13-2005, 08:33 AM	#1
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	12/13/2005: Hemel Hempstead oil fire It's been called Europe's biggest peacetime fire - this massive blaze at an oil depot has produced some remarkable shots from the sky. So far, though, it's thought that the massive black smoke is not a health hazard - hard to believe. There seems to be more worry about the fire-fighting foam they're using to help extinguish it. It may still be burning...

12-13-2005, 08:39 AM	#2
Trilby Slattern of the Swail Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 15,654	That last shot is pretty impressive. Is this north of London? __________________ In Barrie's play and novel, the roles of fairies are brief: they are allies to the Lost Boys, the source of fairy dust and ...They are portrayed as dangerous, whimsical and extremely clever but quite hedonistic. "Shall I give you a kiss?" Peter asked and, jerking an acorn button off his coat, solemnly presented it to her. —James Barrie Wimminfolk they be tricksy. - ZenGum

12-13-2005, 08:51 AM	#7
Sundae polaroid of perfection Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 24,185	Hemel Hempstead is 14 miles from my family's home town. They were all woken up & listened immediately for sirens, thinking it was a bomb, that the nearest garage had blown up or that a local factory tower (under demolition) had come down. Luckily (for them) Aylesbury is North of Hemel, so they are not even in any potential danger from the smoke, which is headed South. I hadn't seen that picture before though - it's really impressive. If that's the right word to use... Last edited by Sundae; 12-13-2005 at 08:52 AM. Reason: Answered by UT

12-13-2005, 09:15 AM	#8
grazzers Aim for the Best Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Edinburgh, Scotland Posts: 134	Wow, those are great pics! I was watching the news on the morning of the explosions, thinking there would be dozens of people killed, then the BBC reported the police as saying only limited injuries. Oddly though, half an hour later, ITV news (which I hate for it's ignorance) reported the police as saying no injuries... Very odd. Love the satellite pics of the smoke too, got any of those? __________________ "Only a person who risks all that he cannot keep, to gain that which he can never lose, is truly free." Anonymous Poet

12-13-2005, 01:40 PM	#11
Elspode When Do I Get Virtual Unreality? Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Raytown, Missouri Posts: 12,719	"Ladies and Gentlemen, we welcome you to Virtual Saudi Arabia 1991!" __________________ "To those of you who are wearing ties, I think my dad would appreciate it if you took them off." - Robert Moog

12-13-2005, 08:51 AM	#3
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	Wow. Very impressive. And very dirty. What a waste. All that pollution going up into the atmosphere, and we aren't able to harness it at all. Normally, we would get to move several hundred thousand cars around for the same amount of pollution, but this is just being wasted. What a shame.

12-14-2005, 03:24 PM	#5
insomnianiac Kinda New Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 1	This is a map showing where Hemel is in relation to London. I live in Hemel, in an area called Gadebridge. The next link will take you to a map that shows where I am in relation to the oil depot. Gadebridge can be seen in the centre square on the left hand side of the map & the Buncefield Oil Depot is, or should I say, was in the centre square on the right hand side.... http://tinyurl.com/8yvqb I don't have a camera, typically, but I did mange to get one picture with my webcam from my living room window. It isn't that great , & it certainly doesn't do justice to how near and how dark the smoke stack was, but I thought I'd show you it anyway http://tinyurl.com/9a7c7

12-13-2005, 08:47 AM	#6
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	About 20 miles north.

12-13-2005, 10:16 AM	#9
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	This is not the best of them... I can't really make out what's fire and what's Parisian ghettos.

12-13-2005, 12:06 PM	#10
Wormfood Superior Inhabitant Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sweden Posts: 73	Are they sure this isn't a vulcano poping up near London.

12-13-2005, 03:09 PM	#13
Happy Monkey I think this line's mostly filler. Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: DC Posts: 13,575	I suspect there's some.. ah.. "information management" going on. Just like the US Gov't. said that the WTC debris wasn't harmful. They figure that by the time it comes out that they're lying, it will be too late, and they'll have avoided a panic. And maybe they can scapegoat some scientist and/or pass a law preventing lawsuits. __________________ _________________ \|...............\| We live in the nick of times. \| Len 17, Wid 3 \| \|_______________\| [pics]

12-13-2005, 08:04 PM	#14
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	The massive black smoke is not a health hazard..... because it's headed for France. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

12-14-2005, 05:51 AM	#15
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	[world]Of course, you English know this will count against your Kyoto emissions. Tough luck, that.[/police] __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

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