Catamong Posted December 11, 2005 Report Share Posted December 11, 2005 (edited) I'd arranged earlier in the week to shoot a field of Rape near the M1 in Hemel Hempstead, where Stealth Stalker & I picked up 100 birds 3 weeks ago. I scrubbed the idea last night, as the weather forecast was hopeless, with a hard frost and bright sunshine and no wind. Good job I did, as it was immediately adjacent to the Buncefield Oil Depot, that went up in smoke today...!!! I live about 1.5 miles from the depot, and at 6.02 this morning was laying in bed when I heard a noise which sounded like a load of bricks dropping on the plastic roof of my conservatory, followed a split second later by an almighty boom, which sounded like a big clap of thunder right over the house. The next thing I heard was all of the car alarms going off, followed a few minutes later by police / fire engine sirens. I knew something was up but couldn't work out what - I thought that it was a gas explosion somewhere locally, so I switched on the telly at 7am to hear that it was the local oil depot going up. Fortunately, none of the houses in my area were damaged, although the blast lifted most peoples loft hatches, for some reason..?? Its still pretty chaotic around here now, as I can look out of my window and see the flames still leaping up as I type, however lucklily enough the smoke plume is heading South East, across the St Albans, Hatfield area and away from the town. I hope Stealth Stalker has a gasmask, he's gonna need it..!! We lost the phones earlier today for some reason, and the Internet has only just come back on line..still we are NT Hell Customers, so what's new..?? Catamong. Edited December 11, 2005 by Catamong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flash Posted December 11, 2005 Report Share Posted December 11, 2005 hi i live in surrey and everyone in our close felt and heard the explosion. our whole house shook and the animals whent mad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted December 11, 2005 Report Share Posted December 11, 2005 If it goes like the one in Wales you could be seeing flames for days mate! The fire brigade need to get enough foam together first before they can start an attack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurcherboy Posted December 11, 2005 Report Share Posted December 11, 2005 I live over 100 miles away and the rottie heard 'thunder' at 6-00am. LB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted December 11, 2005 Report Share Posted December 11, 2005 Does anyone know which Oil Company owns that depot ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted December 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2005 Cranners, It's owned by Total, but all of the Petrol companies draw fuel from there, including the big Supermarkets. Still blazing fiercely as I speak. Catamong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wookie Posted December 12, 2005 Report Share Posted December 12, 2005 My old office is/was about 150 m away from where the first explosion was. We always used to joke about what would happen if Buncefield went up... I saw pictures of it. The place has not a single windows and looks a bit charred. I hope the security guy is ok. Wookie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the last engineer Posted December 12, 2005 Report Share Posted December 12, 2005 i guess you guys are in for another hike at the pumps to pay for the shorfall never mind, with the growing economy that B-LIAR keeps telling of you'l have enough brass to cover it,,,,,,, unless of cource he's lying ,,,,,noooooooooooo Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted December 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2005 You're dead right there..!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axe Posted December 12, 2005 Report Share Posted December 12, 2005 Yeah thats not gonna be funny, damn prices will be skyward again! Tens of Millions of Gallons they reckoned on the new this morning!!!! BTW Catamong, great avatar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Browning GTS Posted December 12, 2005 Report Share Posted December 12, 2005 I was in the bath after an early morning run, when the whole house shook. Next thing the misses is saying what was that? Found out on news 24. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axe Posted December 12, 2005 Report Share Posted December 12, 2005 They reckon on it measuring 2.5 on the quake scale. Did it cause any damage? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted December 12, 2005 Report Share Posted December 12, 2005 I live over 100 miles away and the rottie heard 'thunder' at 6-00am. Like she does every morning Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkeye Posted December 12, 2005 Report Share Posted December 12, 2005 I live over 100 miles away and the rottie heard 'thunder' at 6-00am. Like she does every morning Yea Henry but that is normally LB farting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonno 357 Posted December 12, 2005 Report Share Posted December 12, 2005 I see from the news evryone in the hemel are is panick buy fuel and the petrol stations are running out, fueling more panicking buying and more petrol sation running out Merry xmas to you lot down there, you'll soon be paying over £1/litre for the flammable stuff if you carry one getting excited with this buying Jonno Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stealth Stalker Posted December 12, 2005 Report Share Posted December 12, 2005 Catamong That was close!! We would have been right opposite the depot, I'm glad you called it off on saturday night. Its still going strong, I can see the flames from my office and I must be 8 or 9 miles away! You were not wrong about needing a gas mask yesterday, it was really eerie! Glad your OK Cheers S.S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apbuild Posted December 12, 2005 Report Share Posted December 12, 2005 Weird story. A girl who shoots clays with us told me yesterday that her friend had seen a man of middle eastern appearance drop his wallet in in the Hemel Hempsted area a while back. On following the man to return his wallet, the man thanked her and offered her a £50 reward saying ''I don't know what I would have done if I'd lost that!'' She replied that there was no need to give the reward. The man again thanked her and politely told her, ''Don't be around here on the 11th!'' Accident or maybe not? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jordan Posted December 12, 2005 Report Share Posted December 12, 2005 ****s sake that story about the wallet is a hoax its been circulating round here for ages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted December 12, 2005 Report Share Posted December 12, 2005 It`s done more rounds than Henry Cooper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted December 13, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2005 Terrorists of that kind NEVER give early warnings, even to their own family. I think it far more likely that it was an accident - in the area of the deopt that the fire started, foam has been blowing out of the depot and across the rape field for several weeks - clearly one of their safety systems was malfunctioning, perhaps indicative of lax safety standards overall? Catamong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkield Posted December 13, 2005 Report Share Posted December 13, 2005 Weird story. A girl who shoots clays with us told me yesterday that her friend had seen a man of middle eastern appearance drop his wallet in in the Hemel Hempsted area a while back. On following the man to return his wallet, the man thanked her and offered her a £50 reward saying ''I don't know what I would have done if I'd lost that!'' She replied that there was no need to give the reward. The man again thanked her and politely told her, ''Don't be around here on the 11th!'' Accident or maybe not? That one must be coming up for it's 10th anniversary soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNAKEBITE Posted December 13, 2005 Report Share Posted December 13, 2005 Weird story. A girl who shoots clays with us told me yesterday that her friend had seen a man of middle eastern appearance drop his wallet in in the Hemel Hempsted area a while back. On following the man to return his wallet, the man thanked her and offered her a £50 reward saying ''I don't know what I would have done if I'd lost that!'' She replied that there was no need to give the reward. The man again thanked her and politely told her, ''Don't be around here on the 11th!'' Accident or maybe not? It could have been Elvis on the way to the fish shop.............. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old rooster Posted December 14, 2005 Report Share Posted December 14, 2005 Should show George Bush that we can take the yanks on at producing fossil fuel pollution any day !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Browning GTS Posted December 14, 2005 Report Share Posted December 14, 2005 They reckon on it measuring 2.5 on the quake scale. Did it cause any damage? No a bit to far away for that but we still felt it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axe Posted December 14, 2005 Report Share Posted December 14, 2005 It must have been pretty ******' scary for those next to it. Why do things always happen before christmas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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