I hope this was just an accident…
Three large explosions have taken place at an oil depot near Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire.
Police say there have been casualties. and officers are at the scene.
The first blast happened at 0603 GMT, at the Buncefield oil depot, close to the junction 8 of the M1 motorway 10 miles from Luton Airport.
The M1 has been closed both ways. Residents up to 30 miles from the scene reported hearing a “loud boom” and seeing flames “up to 60ft”.
One eye witness told BBC News: “There are lots of houses damaged.”
Witnesses said another two explosions followed the first at 0626 GMT and 0627 GMT.
The M1 near the scene has been closed in both directions.
Eye witness Sam Matton, who lives half-a-mile from the depot told BBC News: "The sky is sort of orange. The flames have got to be 60ft up in the air.
"I was in bed, I was actually having a bad dream and I thought the world had ended.
"The loft hatch in my house has actually fallen out, my neighbour’s window has actually broken from the impact.
"There was a first major explosion and about three explosions after that.
Dave Franklin told BBC News: "We woke up at 0555 GMT. There was a massive loud bang which broke windows above us and to the right. The whole sky just turned orange and black.
“Several other neighbours said they did see a plane go into the depot.”
Duncan Milligan, of Hemel Hempstead, said he was awoken by the explosion as his house “shook”.
"There was a loud boom and the house shook violently.
"I am about three miles from where the explosion took place but I can see flames high in the sky and smoke billowing everywhere.
“There is clearly a building on fire near the motorway and police and emergency services are everywhere.”
Michael Vatty said: "There have been four subsequent very loud explosions, but the main one was just after six.
“The impression was that it was a clap of thunder, but as soon as we got up we saw the flames. We had the garage door blown in, the front door was also blown in.”
