"We are in uncharted territory. This is the largest fire of this kind that the UK and Europe have dealt with," said Roy Wilsher, chief fire officer in Hertfordshire county.
"We are not even sure how the thermal current will affect the foam that is being applied - it might just vaporise it."
On Monday, a thick black plume of smoke continued to billow from the
Buncefield fuel depot 40km north of
London, the fifth-largest fuel depot in Britain.
The fire began with a series of explosions before sunrise on
Sunday, shattering windows and blowing doors off nearby
homes. Police said the blasts appeared to be accidental.
Most of the 43 people injured were treated for cuts and
bruises from the flying glass of broken windows in
Hertfordshire.
Two men with more serious injuries remained
in local hospitals on Sunday night, and one was released on
Monday, Hertfordshire police said.
Conditions worse
Wilsher said that 20 or more tanks at the facility had been
destroyed but that firefighters had managed to protect
seven others through the night.
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" The conditions this morning are certainly worse than yesterday because of a change of wind conditions "
Roy Wilsher,
chief fire officer, Hertfordshire county |
"We are using 32,000 litres of water a minute from two
separate attack points," he said.
"The conditions this morning are certainly worse than
yesterday because of a change of wind conditions, so the
smoke is swirling around the site which makes the
conditions particularly harsh for our firefighters and the
oil industry firefighters who are assisting at the site," he added.
He said firefighters were within a hundred metres
of the blazing tanks.
"Conditions will be very harsh. They will be wearing
breathing apparatus and protective equipment. They will be
monitored by safety officers, and we will be bringing
relief in all the time to make sure they are not in those
conditions for too long," Wilsher said.
No pollution danger
Hertfordshire police said earlier that the fire service,
the Environment Agency and police were all satisfied that
foam could be used without danger of polluting water
supplies.
There had been fears that runoff from the site
could contaminate surface and ground water with fuel.
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Noxious fumes from the fire
affected police officers
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The Buncefield terminal, operated by Total UK and
part-owned by Texaco, stores 16 million litres
of petrol, diesel, kerosene and aviation
fuel.
The national Environment Agency said it was concerned that
substances including kerosene, diesel, gas oil and petrol
could mix with the foam and escape from the site and
pollute surface rivers and groundwater.
"We've come up with a plan that holds in that water on
the site in walled areas, called bunded areas, and we are
having those areas monitored constantly," Wilsher said.
Noxious fumes from the fire, which left some people
coughing, affected the large squads of police who
sealed off the area and evacuated nearly 300 people to a
bowling alley being used as a temporary shelter.
About 25
police officers were examined by doctors for problems such as
chest tightness or shortness of breath, said Howard
Bortkett-Jones, medical director of the two local
hospitals.