After the Fire
My pictures (taken the day after Boxing Day, 2005) show the devastation at Northgate Information Services HQ in Hemel Hempstead. The damage was caused by the Buncefield Oil Terminal explosion and fire which is thought to be the largest peace time explosion in Europe since the war. The explosion was heard as far away as Exeter and Holland. It also caused a massive seismic wave, similar to an earthquake; it registered 2.4 on the Richter scale at a nearby survey station. See the British Geological Survey site.
I was there with my family visiting my parents for Christmas. They live about 1.5 miles away from the epicentre, but thankfully did not suffer any major damage. However some of their neighbours had patio and garage doors knocked off their frames.
I wanted to see how it had affected Northgate. It seems Northgate were one of the worst hit of all...
Completely wrecked offices. Apparently, four employees were inside at the time. Two required hospital attention, but all are reported to be okay. Luckily the explosion occurred at 6.01 am on a Sunday morning. There would have been many more hurt if the explosion had happened on a weekday.
Another view showing the visitor’s car park and reception doors.
A close-up of the previous view showing the incredibly badly wrecked reception doors. Note the mangled car. Various panels were pressed in due to the pressure wave of the explosion. And this was the side of the building away from the explosion...
Why the website went down...
This was the end most affected by the explosion. Fire has taken hold. Even the brick cladding has fallen away. This once housed the Police Systems department including the speeding fine software development and support team. Some motorists will be happy at that news...this is the place I worked back in the late 1990’s.
The building is literally right next to the oil terminal, as this picture shows. Note the wrecked oils tanks behind the sad Vauxhall Astra.
