Air-petrol mix 'Buncefield cause'
February 21, 2006
Devastation caused by the fires has delayed the investigation
Evidence points to a mixture of petrol and air which ignited being the cause of the Buncefield oil depot explosions, the lead investigator has said.
However, Taf Powell said he could not say "with sufficient confidence" at this stage exactly how they happened.
The devastation caused by the disaster has held up investigators, as gaining access to the site has been difficult.
A series of fires in December destroyed the depot in Hemel Hempstead and caused major damage to homes and businesses.
Wide-ranging
The investigation, which was ordered jointly by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Environment Agency, has been described as the "most wide-ranging" of its kind since the Potters Bar rail crash inquiry in 2002.
Eyewitnesses have reported seeing a low-lying mist in one of the "bunds" housing the tanks at the west of site, near the neighbouring industrial estate, prior to the 11 December blast and it was also spotted on CCTV.
Mr Powell's report, released on Tuesday, states: "The visible mist seen in the CCTV records and described by witnesses is assumed to arise from the evaporation of the more volatile fractions of an escape of fuel.
"The source of the fuel release is not yet known, although the CCTV records indicate that it was in the vicinity of Bund A.
"The most plausible scenarios involve large-scale loss of containment of vessels or pipework within Bund A."
He adds: "There appear to have been several explosions but the exact sequence of events has not yet been established."
'Good start'
Inquiry chairman Lord Newton of Braintree told a news conference in Hemel Hempstead on Tuesday: "The extensive damage to the site and the need to make it safe has unavoidably delayed the investigating team in gaining access and carrying out a thorough forensic examination of the scene.
"A good start has been made which is already producing valuable information.
"There is, however, much more to be done before the root causes of the incident can be identified."
Lord Newton has been joined in examining the blasts by Prof Dougal Drysdale, an authority on fire safety, and Dr Peter Baxter, a medical expert.
Environment Agency and HSE staff are also on the board.
'Road to recovery'
The local authority for the Buncefield depot area - Dacorum Borough Council - said it welcomed the Health and Safety Executive's publication of the progress report.
Providing "considered conclusions for lasting solutions" is more important than the immediate demand for answers to what happened, it said.
"We appreciate that this is a complex and sensitive investigation with some major questions still unanswered," said council leader Andrew Williams.
"We are as keen as everyone who lives and works in Hemel Hempstead to get on with the task of rebuilding our town.
"The conclusion of the Health and Safety investigation will be a major milestone in our road to recovery."
The final findings of the inquiry will be made public.
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