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[url]http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4517962.stm[/url]

Seems very serious.

Hi Cassini

Thanks for the web site. Police are saying that they don't think the smoke is toxic, but I find that difficult to believe. We advised our daughter and grandkids to go to our house on the Wirral, but the motorways and arterial roads are closed. Also her husband was already working in Hemel (overtime) when the explosion took place, goodness knows how he is going to get home.

Saw the reports this morming myself. If nobody was killed it will be a miracle. Some were reporting hearing a plane but cant really see it being a terror attack, why on Sunday? Look at the damage caused

Hope all is well with your family and others, Sue. Keep us posted.

Regards
Kath
x

How close do they live Sue and did they hear anything.

My cousins live 2 miles away, my aunt & uncle, 8 miles away. They were all woken by the explosion and had 'stuff' raining down on their roofs. My daughter, husband & grandkids live 12 miles away. She didn't hear anything. Says that she's that exhausted looking after 2 toddlers that unless it's one of the kids crying she can sleep through anything ... obviously ;-) It's the smoke that's more worrying now. She says it's like a thick fog.

2 miles away is pretty darn close, has stuff dropped on their car, like you say pretty worrying about the smoke. Will they be stuck there all day being unable to leave the house. If it were here I think I'd have to don breathing apparatus and make for the nearest boozer then stay there until the smoke cleared.:p .......couldn't possible be trapped indoors on Sunday, must dash got to blow dry hair...;) hic:p

Hope everybody is ok and keep us updated as the day commences

Ive just come back to the uk for 5 days to visit friends and family, last night i stayed over with friends in Maidstone and was woken by the explosion at around 6 in the morning. It was even heard as far away as Belgium and Holland.
Where my parents live, in East london the skies are covered in smoke and even though the authorities say it is not toxic, it smells of gas outside in the streets.

wol

The reason why the sounds were heard so far away - was because of the weather - there was a fog blanket above and that forced the sound to go horizontal rather than up

39 injured 2 seriously - - its amazing that there were no fatalities

but even being injured is not much fun :(

apparently the smoke is mildly toxic (well being fuel it would be I suppose) and can irritate and be particularly worrying for asthmatics etc. The cloud is spreading southwards and although very high is expected to get to Southampton late tomorrow. Again amazing no fatalities - one thought - this is the 4th or 5th biggest distribution centre I wonder where the other bigger ones are

Hope your family are all ok Sue, was a little worried for my son and daughter who live in the south east but thank goodness much further south.

Wow that's close Susan. I was woken up by the booming sound and felt the whole flat shake and I'm 25 miles away! Thought London was under attack, but still managed to drift straight back to sleep, so I obviously wasn't THAT concerned.

Some good news from my daughter today.

She says that the cloud is staying high and that there's no 'smog' around. Very good news for the immediate future as far as our family is concerned, although what the long term situation will be, who knows? The sxxt in the sky has to fall to the ground at some time. Should that be over Hertfordshire, or places further afield, who can tell?

I suppose it will depend on wind and rain?

What you have to take into account is that when this 'stuff' does fall to the ground it's going to pollute water tables, pastures etc. and have a 'knock on' carcigoneric effect that won't be felt for many years yet to come. Just a threat.

Immotive? Yes, I am. These people are my family and my grandchildren living in Hertfordshire !

Where is Mr.Blair ? A major disaster in his own country ... and nothing!

Wouldn't you have thought that he'd have at least made some sort of statement yesterday. But no, Sunday Lunch (and I use capitals) was more important.

Where is our Prime Minister when we need him?

Probably moving HIS family out of Islington, North London as the 'cloud' covered the sky, just a few miles from my daugher and grandchildren.

Bollocks!

[QUOTE=Susan P]Some good news from my daughter today.

She says that the cloud is staying high and that there's no 'smog' around. Very good news for the immediate future as far as our family is concerned, although what the long term situation will be, who knows? The sxxt in the sky has to fall to the ground at some time. Should that be over Hertfordshire, or places further afield, who can tell?

I suppose it will depend on wind and rain?

What you have to take into account is that when this 'stuff' does fall to the ground it's going to pollute water tables, pastures etc. and have a 'knock on' carcigoneric effect that won't be felt for many years yet to come. Just a threat.

Immotive? Yes, I am. These people are my family and my grandchildren living in Hertfordshire !

Where is Mr.Blair ? A major disaster in his own country ... and nothing!

Wouldn't you have thought that he'd have at least made some sort of statement yesterday. But no, Sunday Lunch (and I use capitals) was more important.

Where is our Prime Minister when we need him?

Probably moving HIS family out of Islington, North London as the 'cloud' covered the sky, just a few miles from my daugher and grandchildren.

Bollocks![/QUOTE]

Great to hear your family are ok for the moment, Susan! But, as you point out, the ecological damage will follow later. Rivers, fish, cows on fields, milk, any exposed open fields that will carry wheat etc... dare not think about it!

My mum (still) lives just east of Gatwick & she didn't hear anything either - nor was that cloud anywhere near. But she's also worried that when the rain starts, who knows...

Hmmm I agree about TB's conspicuous absence in this. I also would've thought that there was emergency training etc on site in preparation for such an event but it seems not. I wonder how many polititians will remain near London when the rain falls?? Hmmmm... :mad:

Stephanie

[quote=Iona]I also would've thought that there was emergency training etc on site in preparation for such an event but it seems not.[/quote]

Yes, amazingly the contingency plans seemed to be lacking somewhat. At one point, yesterday, the fire services had to withdraw for safety reasons because they didn't know what one of the tanks contained!! Initially, they also didn't seem sure what to use to put out the fire.
Not entirely or solely the fault of the fire service as 'Total' would, or should, have been involved in emergency planning. A lot of people have got away with this by the skin of their teeth! Serious as it is, it could quite easily have become a major disaster.