UK fuel depot fire contained
LONDON, England (CNN) -- British authorities say they have contained a fire raging at a fuel depot that injured 43 people, but it will take a day to burn itself out.
The blast followed a series of explosions at the facility about 40 kilometers (25 miles) north of London early Sunday, lighting up the predawn sky and sparking a massive blaze.
Britain has been on edge for terrorist attacks since four suicide bombers killed 52 commuters in July on London's transport system, but a police statement ruled out any attack.
"All indications are, at this stage, that this was an accident," Hertfordshire Chief Constable Frank Whiteley said.
"However, clearly we will keep an open mind ... until we can confirm that for certain."
Forty-three people were taken to hospitals for their injuries, Whitely said, but the majority were "walking casualties." All but two have been released, he said, and those two do not have life-threatening injuries.
Although firefighting units with more than 150 firefighters were on the scene, authorities said the fire may have to burn itself out.
"Given the latest info on the fire, the fire is likely to continue for the next 24 hours or so," Whitely said.
"It could go into days," Roy Wilsher, fire department spokesman, told reporters.
He described the fire as "the largest I've seen."
Wilsher said 250 million liters (more than 66 million gallons) of foam concentrate -- to be mixed with water to create flame suppressant foam -- was "on the way to us."
"We're working with the oil industry experts to see if even that's enough," he said.
About 20 petroleum tanks were thought to be involved in the blaze at the Buncefield Oil Depot near Hemel Hempstead, said Jane Vine, spokeswoman for Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue.
"What we're really concerned about is toxic smoke from the area," Vine told CNN.
"There's a heavy cloud. We don't know if it's toxic, but we're asking people in Hemel Hempstead to keep their windows and doors closed and stay inside."
The smoke was drifting slowly east, Whiteley said.
Residents closest to the depot were being evacuated, she said, and nearby roads, including the M1 and M10, were closed. "What we really want is for people to keep away from the area."
Nearby residents left quickly, some throwing possessions in the backs of their cars. Whiteley said those with doors and windows damaged by the blasts should leave.
Whitely said more explosions were possible, but they would not be as powerful as the first blasts.
Hemel Hempstead residents reported hearing a loud boom about 6 a.m. local time. Two other blasts followed, British television network ITN reported, at 6:26 and 6:27 a.m.
The network showed flames shooting an estimated 80 to 100 meters (up to 300 feet) in the air, along with an immense cloud of smoke blocking out the sun. Witnesses told ITN the blasts shattered windows and caused other damage at nearby homes.
As the smoke spread across Hemel Hempstead, witnesses said there was a strange taste in the air.
"It's a horrible feeling in the back of your throat," Andy Dicker told the network. "Very unpleasant."
At least one of the blasts was enough to wake residents of west London, some 40 miles away.
Video from the scene showed heavy damage to buildings at the depot and nearby roads covered in debris from the blasts.
Witness Simon Heyward described to ITN seeing "what looked like fireworks shooting up into the sky." Police, he said, had cordoned off the area.
Another woman said she thought the noise was an earthquake or a plane crash at the Luton Airport. "It was that kind of intense noise," she said.
Texaco owns 40 percent of Buncefield, but does not operate the facility. The other 60 percent is owned by Total, according to Texaco-Chevron UK and U.S.-based Texaco.
No American workers were at the site, a Texaco USA spokesman said. Although the terminal is the fifth-largest in Britain, Whiteley told reporters there should be no concern about a fuel shortage.
Location of Hemel Hempstead within the UK
A shot of the fire taken near the depot

A series of large explosions have occurred close to Hemel Hempstead  Hertfordshire, UK. The source of the explosions has been confirmed as the Hertfordshire Oil Storage Terminal (HOSL), Hemel Hempstead, known locally as the Buncefield complex. Up to  150 fire fighters are reported to be at the scene with 10 fire appliances and 1 specialist foamer.

The first 'blast' was heard near Hemel Hempstead on Sunday 11 Dec at 6 am. Further smaller explosions followed at 6:24am , 6:26am, 6:30am. BBC News 24 reported an additional, fourth large explosion.  Hertfordshire Police Constabulary are currently treating the explosion as an accident.  

Reports say the explosion, which registered 2.4 on the Richter scale, was heard as far away as Oxford, and Whitehall, Central London which is 60km (38 miles) away. Eyewitness statements report that the explosion was heard from at least 160km (100 miles) away and as far away as France and The Netherlands. Pilots reported noticing the blast from the North Sea and the West Country area of the UK.  The M1 motorway which runs close by has been closed in both directions near the blast which is causing travel chaos as other roads become congested.

Malcom Stewart, a BBC News24 eyewitness who is a tanker driver for the site has reported that the site supplies several oil companies and is a joint operation between Total UK and Texaco, it is also used by BP, Shell and the British Pipeline association. The complex is not a refinery but a storage facility for refined petroleum awaiting distribution to airports and filling stations. The eyewitness reports that the depot has approximately 20 tanks which can hold about 3 million gallons (11 million litres or 70,000 barrels) each.  Another News24 eyewitness has just reported that he has seen at least 5 of these tanks on fire.

Satellite image of Hemel Hempstead fuel explosion showing black smoke from the explosion near London

The depot operates on a 24 hour basis and is split into 2 parts - aviation fuel and domestic fuel.  A number of eyewitnesses have reported on UK news that the aviation fuel side appears to be the part of the site that has been affected.

Local authorities were not immediately available for comment but there have been reports of casualties.

Some reports on live television state that, "Several other neighbours said they did see a plane go into the depot."  BBC News 24 were also discussing the idea a possible plane crash as the cause of the explosions.  Hertfordshire police have now gone on the record to say that there is no plane involved (BBC News24).

The police have issued a contact number 0800 096 0095 and asked that people do not call the emergency services in Hertfordshire directly unless it is an emergency. 
Buncefield Fire, taken from Dunsmore, Bucks - about 20miles away.

In addition to being an oil storage depot, it is a major hub on the UK oil pipeline network with pipelines to Killingholme Lindsey Oil Refinery (LOR), Humberside (10 inch), Merseyside (10 and 12 inch), Coryton on the Thames Estuary (14 inch) and Heathrow (6 and 8 inch) and Gatwick airports radiating from it.

The disaster is believed to be the worst explosion at a petrochemical plant in the UK since the Flixborough disaster of 1974.
Hertfordshire's Chief Fire Officer Roy Wilsher said: "This is possibly the largest incident of its kind in peacetime Europe." 

A firefighting press officer said that they are stock piling foam from neighboring regions for a prolonged attach which they hope will stop the spread of the fire, however, the inferno itself will have to burn out which could take between 24 hours and a few days.

Despite the authorities saying that there is no need to panic buy petrol, filling stations have had above average queues since this morning and some small garages have ran out.

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott has visited the scene.

Smoke Viewed from St Albans