The severity of the explosion was far greater than could reasonably have been
anticipated based on knowledge at the time and the conditions at the site. The
devastation was enormous. Fortunately there were no fatalities but over 40 people
were injured. The ensuing fire, the largest seen in peacetime UK, engulfed over
20 fuel tanks on the HOSL and adjacent sites and burnt for several days. Fire
crews attended from many parts of the country. Fuel and firefighting chemicals
flowed from leaking bunds down drains and ‘soakaways’, both on and off site. The
environmental, social and economic toll was considerable. The human toll should
not be underestimated; while no one lost their life some have yet to fully recover
from the effect that the explosion had on their lives. The human effects may have
been even greater had the event not occurred early on a Sunday morning when the
adjacent industrial area was relatively quiet.