Sheilaz Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 Anyone in this area know about this? I heard a possible explosion at about 3am and can see a big fire. I hope it's not Buncefield again, which we witnessed in 2005 despite being several miles from Hemel Hempstead. It looks roughly same direction. Unless it's anarchy related, or even completely different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoctorDoLittle Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 My wife heard it and called me at work, she thought it was over towards Knebworth . She then said she saw helicopters flying around. I'm on a night shift with London ambulance service so not heard anything as yet. I spoke to a couple of met police and they hadn't heard anything about it ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted August 10, 2011 Author Share Posted August 10, 2011 Thanks for replying, and thanks for the terriffic work you do. There hasn't been the black smoke as in Buncefield, and when I looked again I thought maybe not Hemel, further East. Luton/Beds? Could be miles out, I'm not good at judging. Hopefully gone quiet now, still puzzled though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 I don't know about an explosion, but the Sony factory fire near Enfield has created an enormous pall of black smoke - that's possibly too far away from where you are, but apparently it can be seen for miles around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 I can't see anything on the news sites Sheila but have phoned my folks who live not far from you, hopefully they will get back to me with news. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercedes55 Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 Haven't heard anything here and we are in SW Herts. I still remember Buncefield as it was the night after my son had got married and we were suddenly woken up by the most terrific bang and our loft hatch door fell down. Same thing happened to my mum's loft hatch too. My son and his new wife were spending their wedding night in a hotel miles away and even they were woken up by it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Licken Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 We saw this pall of smoke as we drove down the M11 this morning. It looked like it was coming from Enfield-ish. It had dispersed by the time we headed home this afternoon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 My folks didn't know anything about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted August 10, 2011 Author Share Posted August 10, 2011 My son has found out, it was much more localised. Batchwood Tennis and Golf Club was destroyed by fire, cause unknown. Apparently unrelated to the criminal disorder, nor connected to Batchwood Hall night club. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarlettohara Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 There were police posted outside the drive today, such a shame for all the children who use it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 Thanks Sheila, I will pass that to my folks. As retired tennis players they may well know it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirstine Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 That's a real shame. I was brought up in St Albans (as were my parents, who still live there). I know my Dad has a few Batchwood-related anecdotes from his youth, when he hung around with golfers and drinkers. I'll be speaking to them at the weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted August 11, 2011 Author Share Posted August 11, 2011 Thanks you three. Yes, the indoor courts were great, such a shame for the holiday users, regulars and golfers too, the whole sports building is razed to the ground. Apparently the old building, now Batchwood Hall nightclub, was OK and the incident was nothing to do with the venue. From my window the direction suggested it was the Hall itself at first, then I remembered Buncefield and thought I wasn't judging the distance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronze Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 Shame they can't down Batchwood without harming the actual building it is housed in. If there was ever a bad nightclub that is it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted August 16, 2011 Author Share Posted August 16, 2011 Good point Bronze, and over the years I've been surprised it hasn't been closed down. Way back in, er, a different decade, I went to a wedding reception there. It would be great if the nightclub use was taken over and the building used as a hotel/wedding venue, wouldn't it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 Yes, I remember it as a lovely building but it was a rubbish club even in those days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
