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| Lee Dunsdon |
Lib Dem County Councillor, Lee Dunsdon, has asked Hampshire’s Chief Fire Officer to report on all lessons learned from the Buncefield fire disaster and to provide reassurance that a similar event is unlikely to happen at the Fawley Oil Refinery.
The tragic events at Buncefield in December 2005, stemmed from failures that allowed a large storage tank to be over-filled. Fuel was able to escape through air vents, forming an explosive cloud.
The subsequent explosion caused fire to engulf 20 large storage tanks and caused widespread damage to residential and commercial properties in the area.
18 months on, some families are still living in hotel accommodation whilst repair work is undertaken to their homes.
It is generally considered a near miracle that there was no loss of life (largely due to the timing of the blast – it occurred in the early hours of the morning).
Councillor Dunsdon has visited his local fire station at Hardley and been briefed on actions that have been taken at Fawley with a view to restricting the risks of a similar event happening and to learn how prepared the authority is to deal with the consequences of a similar event.
Cllr. Dunsdon says “The Buncefield incident was a truly shocking event. A very large population, those living in the New Forest area and Southampton, will be keen to be reassured that all necessary actions are being taken to avoid and deal with any similar event here at Fawley.”
It is hoped that the Chief Fire Officer will agree that a report be prepared for all members of the Hampshire Fire Authority to consider, later this year. |
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