On this day - 10 years ago

[33056]

Buncefield fuel depot blew up link

On the morning of 11 December 2005, the UK experienced its largest explosion since World War Two. The huge blast at the Buncefield fuel depot in Hemel Hempstead was heard as far away as the Netherlands and shrouded much of south-east England in smoke. Ten years on, what has been the lasting impact?

Despite being relatively close, I didn't hear a thing being fast asleep at that time in the morning and with the Chiltern Hills between our house and the site. Good job I wasn't working nights as my colleague who finished work in London about the time the explosion took place spent several hours in a traffic jam when they shut the M1!

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Despite being relatively close, I didn't hear a thing being fast asleep at that time in the morning and with the Chiltern Hills between our house and the site.

My cousin and his wife, living literally right next door to the site with their bedroom facing it, slept through it. They were woken up by my aunt ringing to ask if they were alright. He asked why she was asking and she told him to look out of their bedroom window...

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Amazing that was 10 years ago. I live along way from there, but still heard the bang and felt the vibration in the air.

 

[33056]

Amazing that was 10 years ago. I live along way from there, but still heard the bang and felt the vibration in the air.

I couldn't believe it was that long ago either, must be getting old hock:

We went visit relatives in London later that day and this was the view from the A41 near Tring



Two days later you could still see the smoke in the atmosphere from Salisbury!

 

[tsr]

It's amazing how there are different stories about who did and didn't get woken by it or hear it. Whilst you've got the above people relatively nearby who didn't wake, I know at least one person who distinctly heard it in East Surrey (admittedly in a fairly quiet and exposed spot). Just goes to show how unpredictable that sort of thing can be!

I remember the whole thing on the news as clear as day, and watching the grey cloud spread over the Home Counties from a few different locations. Also, several friends live in close proximity and I know the overall area round Buncefield quite well - from when I popped up to see some of them a few months later, I still have this picture in my mind of medium-sized office buildings with their windows blown out, and the feeling of desertion in certain areas after the fire service had left.