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By MICHAEL SEAMARK and TAHIRA YAQOOB
Daily Mail (United Kingdom)
Residents living close to the fuel depot inferno were warned to stay indoors last night amid fears that thick clouds of black soot may tumble from the skies.
Two long nights and three days after the Hemel Hempstead site exploded, firemen finally put out the last of the 20 blazing oil tanks at 5pm yesterday.
But health officials said the giant polluting column of smoke could coat buildings, streets and cars with a filthy black layer as the damping-down process continues.
The warning came as a bitter row flared up between fire chiefs and the firemen’s union - which accused the Hertfordshire brigade of being ‘woefully’ unprepared for the blaze.
The Fire Brigades Union claimed the service had only been ready for “the most minor oil fire” and had “almost no ability” to fight the inferno because it had no large stocks of foam.
In response, furious fire chiefs described the claims as “utter nonsense.”
Last night soot warnings were issued by the Health Protection Agency. Spokesman Dr Mike Clark said: “This is moving into a different phase now. Within a few hours of the fire going out we will go from having a roaring fire to a bonfire effect.
“As the cloud cools off and comes down, there will be more of a local effect with debris and large chunks of soot dropping. People should heed our advice and stay indoors for a few hours as there could be a lot of localised smoke and pollution within a few miles of the site.”
Hertfordshire Assistant Chief Constable Simon Parr warned the plume of smoke would “fall densely to the ground near the site” and warned people to only make essential journeys. The Buncefield fire, sparked by massive explosions on Sunday morning, was eventually defeated after nearly 60 hours.
Hertfordshire’s chief fire officer Roy Wilsher said the blaze - believed to be the largest in peacetime Europe - had been beaten by 600 firemen who by yesterday had used more than 15million litres of water and 250,000 litres of foam concentrate. All the burning tanks had been put out but damping down after the inferno could go on for ‘days rather than hours’ to prevent the blaze breaking out again.
Despite fears of pollution, Jane Halpin, of the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Strategic Health Authority, said samples taken in and around the inferno “give no cause for concern” in terms of air quality.
Samples taken by a plane from the pillar of smoke belching out of the depot contained “just basic soot” which, said Dr Halpin, was “very reassuring.”
The police and Health and Safety Executive will now begin investigations into what caused the £250 million blaze.
Police believe it was an accident but local Tory MP Mike Penning has called for a public inquiry into the fire.
Earlier FBU national officer Geoff Ellis said: “Hertfordshire Fire Authority was woefully prepared to deal with anything but the most minor oil fire.
“We would strongly support calls for a public inquiry and believe it is now inevitable.”
Mr Wilsher said: “I am stunned by the inaccuracy and venom of this release from the FBU. Their claims are utter nonsense and this is pure opportunism of the worst possible kind.
“I think the outcome of this incident speaks for itself. The efforts of our firefighters have been absolutely magnificent.”
Most schools in the areas were reopening today along with some businesses near the depot.
As plumes of smoke from Buncefield drift across the channel towards the Normandy coast, the incident has reignited controversy in France over a similar explosion at the AZF petrochemical and fertiliser plant in Toulouse four years ago.
Conspiracy theorists have maintained that it was not an accident but the result of a terrorist attack.
They have now pointed to similarities with Sunday’s explosions, including the fact that both plants were part owned by Total.