Sheilaz Posted December 11, 2005 Share Posted December 11, 2005 Awoken just after 6am by an explosion which made the house & bed shake. Knew it wasn't thunder or earthquake. There were soon flames which at 1st appeared to be a couple of streets away, then it was clear it was some distance away. Just heard it is a huge fuel storage depot near Hemel Hempstead & J8 M1, a few miles away. There have since been smaller bangs, but I gather its a big place. Scary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted December 11, 2005 Share Posted December 11, 2005 Well, that'll teach me to read the forum before I go sending PMs, won't it! First thing I thought about when I heard the news was you Sheila. Glad you're all OK. Must have been very frightening. I wonder what's caused it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted December 11, 2005 Share Posted December 11, 2005 Yes, I came to see if Sheila was OK as well, but already had a PM from Kate saying what she'd done. Hope all is OK with those of you in that area. I know 'natural' disasters occur all the time but now, of course, we all immediately think of terrorism. Either way it isn't a nice experience. A six 'o' clock alarm call on a Sunday Are the girls OK Sheila? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen & co. Posted December 11, 2005 Share Posted December 11, 2005 gosh how frightening, glad you're ok Karen x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 11, 2005 Share Posted December 11, 2005 Hi Sheila, Louise here was straight on before work today to check you are okay!! Was watching the news at 6 when it all kicked off it looks terrifying Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola H Posted December 11, 2005 Share Posted December 11, 2005 Glad to here you are OK Sheila, I haven't seen the news yet just off to catch up............ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cate in NZ Posted December 11, 2005 Share Posted December 11, 2005 Oh boy that sounds terrifying. Got to admit I've not had the news on yet, I must go and find out more now, but I'm glad to hear that you're safe and well Sheila, and I hope it's the same for all the other forum members in that area. Actually, edit that, special wishes to all forum members of course, but I do hope that everyone in the area is safe and well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted December 11, 2005 Author Share Posted December 11, 2005 Are the girls OK Sheila? Thanks for asking, they were of course my 3rd thought, after thinking of any casualties, and being sure that rest of family were OK. Chooks all fine, I'm glad I did shut the doors last night, but the Eglus must have shaken. I really wanted to go & see if they were OK but decided it would actually frighten them more to appear at 6am in the dark. I didn't go out until 7.30 though, as I didn't realise the time, as the sky was still dark. At 7.30 I realised that it was the black smoke, and in the other direction it was daylight. I didn't mention the chooks in my first post, as it seemed flippant in an initial post, given that I didn't know anything about human casualties at that stage. It was terrifying as I knew it wasn't a natural force, and my son (who sleeps in the attic, and must have jumped out of his skin),saw the flames immediately. We thought it was a nearby house,or the hospital down the road, and therefore a gas explosion,or similar, so felt very shaken for any victims. But, son went to see (that scared me!) & if nec. phone fire brigade, then realised it was much further away. Awful disaster, but I would guess an accident.Will take ages to control. Thanks to all who thought of me, I was very shaken, but a lot of people will have been a lot nearer. PS. For anyone travelling, M1 is shut down here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted December 11, 2005 Share Posted December 11, 2005 The last news I heard said the Fire Brigade would be there all week Don't they have to call in Red Adair (actually, I think he has recently died hasn't he?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted December 11, 2005 Share Posted December 11, 2005 Better not call him then ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel (& Paul) Posted December 11, 2005 Share Posted December 11, 2005 Oh, I am glad you are ok. I heard it on the news today - so scary, so its good to know you are ok Our quiet peaceful dorset chooks send lots of cyber hugs to your shaken up ones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted December 11, 2005 Author Share Posted December 11, 2005 The last news I heard said the Fire Brigade would be there all week Don't they have to call in Red Adair (actually, I think he has recently died hasn't he?) ...or Ginger Rogers. Amazing the distance the sound travelled (due to a blanket of weather causing the force to travel sideways across the earth, rather than being dispersed upwards ). Visited friends near Royston, 45 mins from here, & it had woken them too! An eerie feeling here, very gloomy on a day which would have otherwise been bright & sunny. The smoke is still churning out black and heavy in the sky, giving a day long feeling of dusk. All around outside it seems to be hanging in the air like a fog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffie Posted December 11, 2005 Share Posted December 11, 2005 We've had visitors and been outall day. So pleased you are ok Sheila. We visited Mikeys parents and she was woken by the explosion and lives in Stoke Poges! Looks dreadful and things will be chaotic, feel for the people affected and also it's all much more difficult to deal with at this time of year. Anyone on the forum in the area we are thinking about you. BBx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Blue Sky Posted December 11, 2005 Share Posted December 11, 2005 I was awake at 6 (still in bed though) and heard the explosion - the house shook briefly and coins in a china dish on the windowsill rattled (that's how I knew I wasn't dreaming!).. I thought something had gone off at our local RAF base at Northolt & was formulating escape plans etc & checking electric supply - funny how your mind works when something shocking happens - when I realised I couldn't hear any sirens so knew it was far enough away not to affect us here. But we must be 30 miles from Hemel... What a terrible accident, but how wonderful that no-one has died. I'm glad you're safe Sheila & chooks all happy. Hope they can put that fire out soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted December 11, 2005 Author Share Posted December 11, 2005 May I just add a rant? Herts.County Council has apparently decided to shut all schools tomorrow, in case the smoke is causing some respiratory problems! I don't believe it! How dare they? Don't they have a duty of care for schoolchildren? How is being off school going to help the situation? Just cause distress to those who haven't heard the news and even more so to those who have but can't solve childcare problems. Unbelievable. In a really impossible scenario, by all means make school optional, open for those who turn up, run by a few skeleton staff plus offers of help, those unable to attend being excused. It should never be this way round, and certainly not for somthing as vague as this. Being in school would be safer than wandering around town breathing in the smoke, if that is the concern. Yes, it is affecting the air here, BUT WHY CLOSE ALL THE SCHOOLS? PS. Will also be on standby for this when one snowflake appears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted December 11, 2005 Share Posted December 11, 2005 Do you breathe different air when you're out of school then? How absolutely ridiculous! It's short notice for parents who work so it's going to be really hard to organise child care. Totally mad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted December 11, 2005 Share Posted December 11, 2005 Teacher's shopping day? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffie Posted December 12, 2005 Share Posted December 12, 2005 I guess it could be about keeping traffic down with the disruption to roads but yes going to cause probs for parents BBx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted December 12, 2005 Share Posted December 12, 2005 Just hijacking your topic for a minute Sheila........... I have my grandchildren after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays. My daughter has just informed me that next Tuesday the 20th, last day of term, children can be collected at 1.30pm. Why? "to make it easier for parents with Christmas things to sort out" Really? does anyone find it easier to have children at home when it is normally a school day? They finish at 3.10 as it is for goodness sake and there are still 5 days until Christmas I've asked daughter to ask around to see who else wants to join me in making a stand. One of her friends is a childminder, she doesn't want to pick up 4 children early and the parents don't want to be paying her to do so either. I'll probably be shot down in flames by all you teachers out there but we do need a bit of a reality check here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted December 12, 2005 Share Posted December 12, 2005 I heard about it when my mother decided to call me at the crack of dawn on Sunday to tell me that their house shook.I was annoyed at first until I realised the severity of it, and then sat watching TV in a daze. I can't believe that the casualty toll was so light, it was just as well that it happened early on a Sunday morning when not many people were there. My folks kept me updated during the day, but it is really so serious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted December 12, 2005 Share Posted December 12, 2005 I spoke to my pal who lives near Thame last night and it shook them out of bed I was watching news24 as they were interviewing a guy in London when it happened what alot of confusion till they worked out where the blast had come from Lets be thankful it happened at night when the place was quiet and the streets as well just imagine if it had been during the day How are things Sheila When will the schools be open again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffie Posted December 12, 2005 Share Posted December 12, 2005 Yes Clare also I wonder how this is going to affect the food chain. It's leaving traces of who knows what on the vegetation and that is ingested and in the food chain, let alone what people have and are inhaling. We saw the cloud yesterday on our travels and we could smell it in the aircon. Michael had a headache last night and I had a sore throat and cough- coincidence I just don't know! Will this affect organic farming in anyway I wondered too. BBx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted December 12, 2005 Share Posted December 12, 2005 After worrying about casualties, my next immediate worry was for the environment. My ex is a journalist in the oil business so he has been updating me and explaining it to me. Apparently there is no way that the can stop a fire of that magnitude from spreading to all 26 tanks at that site. I understand that when they do dump all that foam to try to smotherit, there will be an enormous cloud of soot and ash as a result Horrendous. My outlaws can even see it from Bledlow Ridge in Buckinghamshire where they live. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffie Posted December 12, 2005 Share Posted December 12, 2005 Oh that's awful. They are supposed to start the foam right now, am going to pop and chk news. BBx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted December 12, 2005 Share Posted December 12, 2005 I had a quick peek at the news when I went home for lunch, they have some of the blazing tanks under control. They are now saying that the cloud isn't toxic (yeah, right), but some other sources are saying that it is. My understanding is that most petroleum derivatives ARE poisonous - any Omleteers know about this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...