ABSTRACT
1. BACKGROUND
1.1 Early on Sunday 11 December 2005, a series of explosions and subsequent fire
destroyed large parts of the Buncefield oil storage and transfer depot,
Hemel Hempstead, and caused widespread damage to neighbouring properties.
1.2 The main explosion took place at 06.01 and was of massive proportions. It was
followed by a large fire that engulfed 23 large fuel storage tanks over a high
proportion of the Buncefield site. The incident injured 43 people. Fortunately, none
were seriously hurt and there were no fatalities. Nevertheless, there was significant
damage to both commercial and residential properties near the Buncefield site.
1.3 About 2,000 people had to be evacuated from their homes and sections of the M1
motorway were closed. The fire burned for five days, destroying most of the site and
emitting a large plume of smoke into the atmosphere that dispersed over southern
England and beyond.
1.4 The exceptional scale of the incident was matched by the scale of the emergency
response. Gold Command (the Strategic Co-ordinating Group) was established within
hours, co-ordinated by Hertfordshire Police and involving Hertfordshire Fire and
Rescue Service, Hertfordshire County Council, Dacorum Borough Council, the
Environment Agency and the Health Protection Agency, with the Health and Safety
Executive (HSE) in support.
1.5 1,000 fire fighters from across the UK were engaged in the course of the five day
incident. They used 750,000 litres of foam concentrate, 55 million litres of water and
30 km of high-volume hose. Police forces from throughout the UK attended in
support. Voluntary services also attended to cater for the welfare of emergency service
personnel.
1.6 HSE and the Environment Agency, as the joint Competent Authority under the
Control of Major Accident Hazard (COMAH) Regulations 1999, attended the incident
from the start, beginning their on-site investigation on 16 December 2005. Taf Powell
from HSE's Offshore Division was appointed as the Major Incident Investigation
Manager on 19 December 2005. I was appointed Chair of an independent board to
oversee the investigation on 12 January 2006.
