Firefighters Tackle Depot Inferno

11:15pm UK, Monday December 12, 2005

More than 150 firefighters were due to spend the night battling the "apocalyptic" Buncefield fuel depot blaze.

Inside the site

Crews beganspraying foam and water on the blaze at 8am on Monday and succeeded in extinguishing 12 of the 20 tank fires.

But they were later forced to withdraw amid fears a tank of highly volatile fuel could explode.

One tank had erupted near the suspect container and the operation only resumed on Monday evening once aerial photographs showed it was safe to continue.

Chief Fire Officer Roy Wilsher said: "This fire is a first for all of us and there will be some ups and downs in the progress."

Authorities are due to hold two separate meetings with residents and business owners later on Tuesday in Hemel Hempstead.

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott expressed his admiration for the work of the emergency services during a statement in the House of Commons.

Following his visit to the depot he said: "I was impressed with how organised they were and how they were getting on with a difficult job.

"The police, firefighters and ambulance workers fully deserve our fulsome praise and admiration."

He pledged there would be a full investigation by the Health and Safety Executive into the cause.

Inside the Buncefield depot, firefighters say the scene is "apocalyptic".

They are facing harsh conditions in "uncharted territory".

Spokesman Frank Whitely said: "This is one of the most complex and largest fires ever fought - certainly in this country."

The fire has been spewing thick black smoke over the South East since Sunday's explosions, raising fears of health hazards and an environmental crises.

Fire services have been working to avoid pollution of the water table and rivers in the region of the depot by containing water on site.

The blast near Hemel Hempstead was so powerful it was heard as far away as Holland and the acrid smoke cloud is now heading out over the Channel.

It has been described as the biggest incident of its kind in peacetime Europe.

Flames leapt more than 200ft in the sky and people living nearby had their windows and doors blown out and roofs damaged.

Around 2,000 people living near the site were evacuated - many have yet to return home and hope to soon discover when they can go back.

Medical advisors have warned people to keep windows and doors closed because of the chemicals in the thick plume of smoke.

Doctors said that asthma sufferers and the elderly may be more susceptible to the effects of the black smoke.

The operation to tackle the fire will eventually bring down the temperature of the smoke and the cloud is likely dissipate, with the column of smoke dropping on the area surrounding the depot.

Incredibly, only two people were seriously injured among 43 casualties.