Explosions at British Fuel Depot an "Accident"

Reuters
Stephen Hird and Mike Holden
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Hemel Hempstead (UK):
Explosions tore through a fuel depot north of London before dawn on Sunday, creating a huge tower of smoke and flame and seriously injuring four people in what police said appeared to be an accident.
"All indications at this stage are that this was an accident. However clearly we will keep an open mind," Hertfordshire Chief Constable Frank Whiteley told a news conference after Britons, still on edge from July attacks in London, awoke to images of rampaging fire and destruction.
Eye witnesses described a series of massive explosions at the Buncefield oil depot, just after 0600 GMT, spewing flames and a column of black smoke, smashing house windows and causing widespread damage.
More than four hours after the blast, a huge column of black smoke continued to billow several hundred feet into the air. Nearby Luton airport and London's Heathrow said the huge pall of smoke could disrupt some services.
Dec 11, 2005