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| Britain |
| Fire crews halted amid new blast fear |
| 2005-12-12 |
| Firefighters tackling the blaze still raging at a Hertfordshire oil depot, in southern England, have halted work at the site amid fears of a potential explosion, fire chiefs said tonight. Fires in 12 of some 20 fuel tanks have now been put out but the fire chiefs are examining the possibility that one tank contains an "extremely volatile" fuel. Meanwhile, a huge plume of smoke continues to billow from the Buncefield depot, near Hemel Hempstead. Explosions and fire at the site early yesterday injured 42 people. Hertfordshire Fire Service chief Roy Wilsher said operations were halted at about 15.00G as he did not want a "human tragedy to go alongside the environmental tragedy we have already got". Britains Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, meanwhile, has told the House of Commons the Government would provide support and assistance. He said the explosion was thought to have been an accident but a full investigation would be carried out by the Health and Safety Executive in due course. Prescott said the emergency services and other agencies had acted with "speed, efficiency and dedication" and praised their "magnificent" response. |
| Posted by:Fred |