Major explosion in Hemel Hempstead - Page 4

Rik · 12-12-2005, 11:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by SMHarman

I did, was quite a sight to see.
What I also noticed about it, was that the quality of the footage from what must have been a miniDV camera was apart from the shakiness, broadcast quality.

A link to that would be very handy if its been hosted anywhere?

**Chris** · 12-12-2005, 11:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rik

A link to that would be very handy if its been hosted anywhere?

BBC has a number of amateur videos on its news site but not that one, apparently. I wonder if they're trying to sell the whole film to someone?

SlackDad · 12-12-2005, 12:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris T

The article had a postscript observing the role the public now plays in newsgathering, thanks to the wide availability of digital still and video cameras. One thing that occurred to me was that the more this is so, the more likely it is that hordes of people are going to go legging it towards the scene of a disaster like this, cameraphone in hand, thinking about flogging their pics to the Sun. And then, of course, it's only a matter of time before one of them gets killed. For example, if that fuel tank had gone up while they were stood in that field, they would most certainly have been killed, if not by being shredded by flying metal, then by the blast wave.

A bit like that sketch from 'The Day Today' a few years ago. The members of the public were so concerned about getting their video camera to work and film the out of control helicopter that they'd totally forgotten to call the emergency services.

Terminal · 12-12-2005, 12:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by quadplay

As a result of yesterday's events, customers fed from the Hemel Hempstead headend will be experiencing loss of TV/broadband and maybe telco services. The ntl building, which is close to the oil storage site, sustained extensive damage in the blast, and engineers are unable to gain access until the fire is out and the building declared safe.

There is no estimated fix time for this...

Many thanks for explaining, Quadplay. Your explanation makes a lot more sense than the announcement posted on the NTL's service status page.

alex_walke · 13-12-2005, 14:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rik

Just watched the news (skynews) I live in Hemel Hempstead, and they have just said that local business owners are going to be taken into the area to survey the damage, whether or not this means they will allow engineers to fix things I have no idea, lets hope so.

---------- Post added at 11:12 ---------- Previous post was at 11:09 ----------

A Few More!

great photos Rik, by the way i now know where you live, i only live across the field in Wootton Dr.

Hom3r · 13-12-2005, 14:55

Well according so some news channels the surounding industrial estates my be out of action for upto 2 months.

No NTL DTV/BB I'ld go stir crazy.

13-12-2005, 14:57

Listening to the news yesterday I heard them say firefighters had to withdraw because they were uncertain about what was in one of the tankers. Bearing in mind each tanker holds up to 3 million gallons, how could the owners not know what was in it?

Derek · 13-12-2005, 15:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by andyl

how could the owners not know what was in it?

Maybe all the signs were burnt off

Seriously though you'd think misplacing a couple of million gallons of petrol etc. wouldn't be the easiest job in the world.

Graham · 13-12-2005, 16:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by david.ewles

I had a friend who is a fireman, he said that some fires can be so hot that pouring water on to can cause it to fuel the fire, as it splits the hydrogen and Oxtgen atoms in the water.

(He may have been winding us up, but he was not the type to do that.)

Heat will not cause water to break down into its component atoms, however what will happen is that the oil will try to float on top of the water which will then flash into steam, spraying burning oil all over the place, which is why you should never try to put out a chip pan fire with water!

Terminal · 13-12-2005, 16:54

Well my cable TV and internet seem to have just now returned to normal.

(I had intermittent issues). I hope that's a good sign that everyone else's service will resume soon.

Update: Although bizarrely, the PACE box is now stuck on one channel!!

Cheers
Terminal

Xaccers · 13-12-2005, 17:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by andyl

Listening to the news yesterday I heard them say firefighters had to withdraw because they were uncertain about what was in one of the tankers. Bearing in mind each tanker holds up to 3 million gallons, how could the owners not know what was in it?

The records of what is stored in each tank would have been kept on site, either on an easily meltable computer, or quite combustable paper.
With the physical records there is no need for a person to know what is in each tank, they can just check the records, so when this sort of incident happens, no one is able to give a definite answer as to what is in each tank, and you really need a definite answer when you're sending firemen in to that situation

13-12-2005, 17:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xaccers

The records of what is stored in each tank would have been kept on site, either on an easily meltable computer, or quite combustable paper.
With the physical records there is no need for a person to know what is in each tank, they can just check the records, so when this sort of incident happens, no one is able to give a definite answer as to what is in each tank, and you really need a definite answer when you're sending firemen in to that situation

If that's correct that a horrible gaping hole in their crisis management procedures. Surely they have off-site data back up?

Xaccers · 13-12-2005, 19:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by andyl

If that's correct that a horrible gaping hole in their crisis management procedures. Surely they have off-site data back up?

You mean like the IT "experts" down the road who seem to have had their disaster recovery system in the same building? (although it is a real shame that such poor planning for what ever reason has led to such a threat to their business)
It could be that the oil depot had off site records, but it took a while for the information to get through, notice how the firemen didn't stay away for that long.

Rik · 13-12-2005, 19:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by alex_walke

great photos Rik, by the way i now know where you live, i only live across the field in Wootton Dr.

Ha ha!!
Please dont stalk me!!

BTW Service is back up!
Well done NTL

10meg again!! yay!!!

Xaccers · 14-12-2005, 12:14

Do you see that the FBU are criticising Hertfordshire firebrigade?