Oil workers blown off feet by Buncefield blast, court hears

WORKERS at the Buncefield oil depot were blown off their feet when an enormous explosion ripped through the site, a court has been told.

The destruction at the depot near Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, came after a massive vapour cloud ignited when 250,000 litres of petrol leaked from one of its tanks.

Supervisor Graham Nash described seeing a massive explosion spreading across the terminal when the incident happened on 11 December, 2005. Andrew Langdon QC, prosecuting, quoted him saying: "This (explosion] was getting bigger and closer and came towards the loading bays, towards the control room and was followed by a whooshing type noise and a long huge bang.

"The windows of the control room were blown in and I was thrown across the room."

Hertfordshire Oil Storage Ltd (HOSL), TAV Engineering Ltd and Motherwell Control Systems 2003 Ltd are on trial at St Albans Crown Court for health and safety breaches before the explosion on December 11, 2005.