The fire started December 11 at the Buncefield fuel depot in Hemel Hempstead, in Hertfordshire, when 20 oil tanks, each holding 3 million gallons of fuel, exploded. Some 600 firefighters fought the blaze for nearly three days. Forty-three people were hospitalized. The depot is situated near an industrial estate with 400 businesses.

Calling for a public inquiry, the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) said in a statement, “Hertfordshire fire authority was woefully ill prepared to deal with anything but the most minor oil fire.” It condemned the lack of specialist foam spraying vehicles, stocks of foam, or officers trained to tackle a major oil fire.

In the two months before the fire the FBU and local residents had been campaigning against proposed cuts to the fire and rescue service in Hertfordshire. On November 11 some 200 people protested at a meeting with fire chiefs against the scheduled closing of Bovingdon Fire Station in April. In October, 100 firefighters and others marched through nearby Watford to oppose cuts to nighttime cover.

The Buncefield depot, operated by Total and Texaco, is a major distribution terminal for storing oil, petrol, and kerosene that supplies Heathrow and Luton airports.

On December 14 the government’s Health and Safety Executive said it would begin an investigation.  
 
 
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