Hemel Hempstead Oil Depot explosion.

[Randell]

It woke my mother in law up in Potters Bar, but I didn't hear it in Bromley, yet people hard it in Holland! Also smoke went south and west so I didn't notice the smoke in the air at all.

My firms outsourced payroll contractor head office was opposite the depot and has been flattened. Although they confirmed we would still get paid ok for Christmas so thats ok!

First I knew about was when my wife woke me up Sunday morning and said 'are you still involved in insuring oil and gas risks?!!'

 

[the maddman]

But surely the shockwave is going to be travelling at the speed of sound? I was wondering if the associated earthquake was what she felt as that would probably travel much faster.

I was guessing (and of course that's all any of this is) that there might have been some higher frequency noise that occurred before the main explosion. Vibrations through the earth might also be it, perhaps because we adults like to sleep in thick, heavy beds? It's all wild ass guessing at this point.

Ahhh ... it's probably still less harmful than the air of LA.

That's not saying much! I've been in LA on days where you feel like you need a knife to cut through the air. Still, better clean air than breathing burnt petroleum products.