Large Blasts, Massive Fire At Fuel Depot Near London

The Buncefield oil depot supplies petrol and fuel oils for a large part of southeast England. Oil is brought to the depot, near the town of Hemel Hempstead, in an underground pipeline from tankers unloading on Britain's east coast. Several other witnesses reported a series of explosions. "We can confirm reports of an explosion near the terminal ... Firm details about the incident are not yet known. Our first priority is to ensure the safety of all those affected," Ian Hutchinson, a spokesman for Total Oil told BBC Television. The depot is jointly run by oil companies Total and Texaco. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4520430.stm [Proofreader's note: this article was edited for spelling and typos on December 12, 2005]

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