Una Riley’s column in the January print issue of Professional Security.
Una Riley, a near neighbour to the Hemel Hempstead oil terminal that blew up last month, reports her experiences, and ponders the fall-out.
Earthquake, missile or an aeroplane crash? We could think of nothing else that could have rocked our house with ferocity when we were literally thrown from our beds at 6.03am on Sunday, December 11. Within minutes we were dressed and outside where huge yellow and orange flames could be seen leaping hundreds of feet into the air above the Buncefield Oil Storage Terminal in Hemel Hempstead less than a mile from my home.
On the news
While internally our loft hatches had been blown up into the roof space and pictures and ornaments had been knocked over, externally our house had survived the blast without serious harm. Neighbours were not so lucky. Two doors away a 20-feet high ornate plate glass window had been shattered and several other houses had been similarly damaged. Still unsure of the cause we re-grouped indoors and turned on the news. A reporter who lived some ten miles away was explaining how he was awakened by what sounded like an aeroplane close overhead just before the explosion. While we now know than no aircraft was involved I can fully understand how he came to such a conclusion. Having been uncomfortably close to an IRA bomb when it exploded in central London some years ago I was aware that whatever had just taken place was way beyond the force of a car bomb. We were soon to learn that the explosion had measured 2.4 on the Richter scale, equivalent to a small earthquake, while the roar of the blast was heard by people 200 miles away in France, Belgium and the Netherlands.
Live pictures
As daylight broke a further two lesser explosions occurred as the fire raged and an enormous black plume of smoke drifted thousands of feet up into the sky. As the news channels geared up we were brought live pictures from the conflagration that had engulfed the complex. Having lived in the area for many years I have am aware of the depot and presumed that it was a potential terrorist target and that for exactly that reason safety and security standards would be of the highest. I also assumed that in the event of anything going wrong the emergency services would be fully equipped to respond and handle whatever faced them. Also, that the public would be quickly and accurately appraised of any threat posed by the smoke. The Buncefield depot, the fifth largest of its kind in the UK, covers some 100 acres and is used to store a variety of fuels including unleaded petrol, gas, oil, ultra-low sulphur diesel and aviation fuel. The consequences of an explosion are thus more than obvious. However, while the police, fire brigade and ambulance staff behaved with their customary bravery, rushed to the scene and did everything humanly possible, I soon began to question whether in the aftermath of 9-11 and the July terrorist outrage in London, government preparations to deal with such incidents are remotely adequate. My first concern was when a reporter revealed that of the 100 police officers who were at the scene and policing the exclusion zone, more than 20 needed hospital check-ups after inhaling smoke having been at best equipped only with paper face masks. I have yet to confirm what breathing apparatus is available to police officers but in an era when chemical or biological attacks are anticipated the best equipment possible is the least that they deserve.
The message pushed out regarding the potential damage that the smoke may cause to the health of residents in the area was also less than reassuring. The advice given was to stay indoors and keep doors and windows closed. Then we were informed that the potential health effects, particularly in the short term, are really only likely to affect people who have respiratory illnesses. OK, but what about long term effects? Having decided to follow the guidance and sit it out I was surprised to hear that there was some doubt about what pollutants were in the smoke and that a clear picture would only emerge later when the smoke descended and could be tested!
Fighting fire
I read advice in the newspaper from consultants revealing that the long term threat is from cancer and comes from Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, such as benzene and pyrene emitted by incomplete combustion. Apparently when breathed in, they cause chemical changes in the body, releasing free radicals than can cause cancer over the longer term, something I would have liked to have been warned about from the outset. Another concern relates to the attempts to extinguish the blaze. Roy Wilsher, Hertfordshire’s Chief Fire Officer, said that fire brigades from all over the country had been asked to send 250,000 litres of foam concentrate so firefighters could attack the blaze. When mixed with water the concentrate would generate millions of tonnes of aqueous film-forming foam, known as AFFF which should be sufficient to stifle the fire. However, doubts were raised as to whether there was enough foam in Britain to complete the task. As my concerns grew, I decided to contact Mike Penning, Conservative MP for Hemel Hempstead and former firefighter. I asked Mike for his take on the situation: “Firefighters from 19 fire brigades have been here and we have had police from at least seven authorities. It is clear that we don’t need to abolish fire brigades when there is a strategy there to pull together in the case of something like this major incident …so I think the argument to abolish brigades should itself be abolished given this type of occurrence. I have also been informed that the first attempts to extinguish the blaze have been aborted due to danger to firefighters. It would appear that as incredible as it may sound no one knows what is in one of the tankers that could blow at any moment. In the absence of such basic information there is no alternative to this course of action as we must not forget that ultimately the firefighters are there to protect life.” Mike went on: “We also have here in the town the threat of closure of Hemel Hempstead’s local hospital A&E … how can that even be considered when we have Buncefield on our doorstep? I have to say how proud I am of the way that the community have pulled together. However, some of the people that have had their homes affected may not have insurance and consideration must be given as to how they can be supported.” Mike also voiced concerns about evidence that motorists were already beginning to panic-buy petrol and urged the government to make a statement, to reassure people that the incident is not going to lead to a shortage. Estimates are that the cost to the oil industry of the blast could be up to £250m, but no one has yet calculated the cost to those of us who were engulfed in the smoke.
