Firefighters resume battle to put out fuel depot

Fire crews hope to extinguish an “apocalyptic” blaze at an oil depot today.

The teams started work again last night at Buncefield oil depot near Hemel Hempstead, Herts, after confirming that a volatile tank contained aviation fuel.

A spokeswoman for Hertfordshire Police said “cooling patrols” were taking place again at the site, although teams were unlikely to resume their efforts to extinguish the fire until this morning.

More than 150 firefighters have been battling to douse the blaze, which began following a series of explosions at 6am on Sunday.

But yesterday afternoon it was decided to withdraw crews for fears they could be killed if a so far intact fuel tank blew up.

Before being forced to retreat, firefighters doused 12 of the 22 oil tank fires, but intend to deal with the biggest last.

Crews were using 32,000 litres of water per minute mixed with foam, trying to cover the blaze in a massive “blanket” to deny it oxygen and cool the oil.

Roy Wilsher, chief fire officer of Hertfordshire Fire Service, said firefighters were facing “very harsh” conditions. Wind was swirling the dense smoke and hampering their efforts.

He said the fire was the largest of its kind seen in the UK and Europe in peacetime.

“We are in uncharted territory,” he said. “It looks devastating. It looks like an apocalypse. Something people are just not used to.”

The explosions at the fifth largest fuel distribution depot in the country sparked some panic buying of petrol among motorists despite reassurances from the oil industry that it had plans to deal with such an emergency.

Downing Street has urged drivers not to rush to the pumps but has acknowledged there could be “short-term local difficulties“.

Weather forecasters said the heavy pall of smoke hanging over the blast would begin to disperse soon.

Health officials said they hoped the smoke would not cause widespread problems in the South East.

Dr Jane Halpin, director of public health at the Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire Strategic Health Authority, said there had been “very low levels” of people presenting themselves or seeking advice.

She said the very young, the very elderly and people with respiratory conditions were most at risk from contact with the smoke.

Agriculture experts were assessing any possible effects the fall-out might have on fruit and vegetables and if it entered the digestive systems of farm animals.

Council officials reassured residents that foam landing in gardens and parks around Hemel Hempstead was not toxic.

Despite the scale of the blasts, only two people were seriously injured out of a total of 43 casualties.

Schools within a 10-mile radius will remain closed today, officials said. Around 2,000 people living near the depot have been evacuated.

The Buncefield depot is a major distribution terminal operated by Total and part-owned by Texaco, storing oil and petrol as well as kerosene, which supplies airports across the region, including Heathrow and Luton airports.

Buncefield, the country’s fifth largest fuel distribution depot, is also used by BP, Shell and British Pipeline.

Total has set up a helpline – 0870 400 0499 – for those who have suffered damage to their property and offered assistance to the emergency services and Salvation Army in helping the community.