(Updated) BREAKING NEWS: Massive Series of Explosions rock Southern England

Sky News UK ^ | December 11, 2005

[Big Bad Bob]

Reports of up to Four Explosions at a fuel depot Near Hemel Hempstead, North West of London, according to Sky

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Update:

Explosion Near London


The first picture, taken by a Sky News viewer

Map of the area

Updated: 06:41, Sunday December 11, 2005

There has been a large explosion followed by two smaller blasts in the St Albans area, around 25 miles north of London.

Sky Correspondent Sky Meade has said he can see flames about 200ft in the sky and there appears to be burning fuel.

Speaking by telephone from his home, Meade described "burning tongues" of flames in the sky.

The first blast happened at 6.03am - the other explosions followed about 20 minutes later.

Meade, a seasoned war reporter said he can see what looks like "burning aviation fuel".

"This fire is extremely intense. It is a bright orange glow on the horizon," he said.

Witnesses have told Sky News they heard the blast near Junction 8 of the M1. It is thought to be centred around Bunsfield fuel depot, near Hemel Hempstead.

The blast was felt at Sky Centre - more than 20 miles away in west London.

It was so powerful it blew out the windows at a hotel in Hemel Hempstead. There are reports of injuries there.

And one witness has told how the explosion shook his mother's house and lifted the roof.

Witnesses have told Sky News that emergency services are converging on the area.

Sky News producer Anwar Tambe heard the blast from his home in Luton and is currently stuck in traffic on the M1.

He said blasts are "going off regularly" and debris has blown onto the motorway.

More follows...

[doug from upland]

I guess I may have to stay up for awhile.

[Recovering Hermit]

TROP

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

LOL! That one last "refresh" will get us every time. I should know by now.

[FairOpinion]

[carl in alaska]

It's those wild-eyed Amish bombers again....what a gang of maniacs.

[Recovering Hermit]

I'm pretty sure it's those murderous Lutherans.

[doug from upland]

You guys have sure had your share of bombings. I read quite a bit about Bishopsgate in the early '90s. It did incredible damage.

[ncountylee]

Utes or Yoots?

[Reform4Bush]

That tape was from September I thought. Al-Jazeera admitted it was mistakenly identified as a new tape (I believe).

I wouldn't be surprised if it was connected though

[MJY1288]

:-), That last refresh has cost me at least 5 years of my life..

The Free Republic Curse :-)

[onyx]

I can't find ANY TV news on this!

[roses of sharon]

What is TROP?

[VeniVidiVici]

Well, a downed airplane would sure make a larger impact than a couple of RPGs.

Wait and see though. Any refineries in this area, or just the storage tanks themselves?

[Tennessee_Bob]

The Salvation Army, the Presbyterians, the Lutherans.

No one ever mentions the Methodists - another part of our insidious plan.

[eyespysomething]

Me either. Frustrating, I have got to get satellite!

[BJungNan]

If it is an act of terrorism, then it is not white Christians or Amish that are behind it. Geez, sometimes I wonder about you guys.

[Slings and Arrows]

I just sent the Sky News URL to Fox.

[carl in alaska]

Almost simultaneous suspicion of the Amish & Lutherans. We were three seconds apart...LOL. That's really amusing...lol.

[DrGunsforHands]

What exactly do they mean by "fuel depot"? Is this a British term for a gas station, a propane storage/distribution station, or is this one of the places with the very large storage cylinders, like a Unocal oil storage field?

[ChadGore]

Prayers !