Oil depot tank fires out

The Buncefield oil depot fire – thought to be the largest peacetime blaze seen in Europe – was tonight defeated after burning for nearly 60 hours, a fire chief said.

All 20 oil tanks which caught fire at the depot in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, following a series of explosions at 6am on Sunday have been extinguished, Hertfordshire’s chief fire officer Roy Wilsher.

Mr Wilsher said only a small number of minor fires remained and they were being doused by firefighters.

More than 600 firefighters have been involved in fighting the blaze - described by Mr Wilsher as “apocalyptic” – over the past three days.

Mr Wilsher said their efforts in extreme conditions had been “magnificent”.

But he said firefighters would remain at the scene for several days cooling the area ensuring the fires did not break out again.