It hardly seems like a year ago when at 1 minute past 6 on 11 December 2005 an explosion registering 2.7 on the Richter scale rocked our town. As has later transpired, Tank 12 at Buncefield had let some 300 tonnes of unleaded fuel escape and the vapour exploded – very fortunately for all of us over a nearly empty carpark. Everybody accepts that the explosion and fire tested our emergency services, local authorities and voluntary organisations to the extreme. We are all especially proud of not only our fire-fighters and their colleagues who came from all over the country to help, but the whole community which came together to help and support each other. Everybody did an absolutely fantastic job. A year later and it is time to reflect on lessons to be learned and what we should be doing for the future. Firstly, I think the Prime Minister should appoint a Minister who takes overall responsibility in times of national disaster – in most disasters (and fortunately there are few) the complexity of the clear-up and aftermath crosses a multitude of Government departments, agencies and other organisations. A specially appointed Minister in charge of a disaster would be able to act as a focal point for the local people and businesses affected by the disaster. Other countries do this, why can’t we?
Despite the many visits from Ministers and Secretaries of State during the past year, it is still not clear who is in overall charge. Another concern that I have raised repeatedly during the past year relates to the Buncefield Investigation.
The public sense of natural justice requires that whatever happens in an inquiry must be fair and seen to be fair. It is imperative that we understand how the accident happened so that we can take the proper steps to prevent such a catastrophe happening again. There is great concern that the Buncefield Investigation is taking place behind closed doors. I find this totally unacceptable and cannot understand what can possibly be the benefits? I also do not understand how we can have a situation in which the HSE—a Government agency—investigates the explosion and the subsequent fire when it was so integral to the depot’s safety before the fire. I shall continue to call for a full public inquiry by an independent board. I welcome that, even before Buncefield, Dacorum Borough Council had planned to rejuvenate the Maylands Industrial Estate, and now with many businesses operating from temporary accommodation, it is even more important that we take this opportunity to revitalise the Maylands area to create a modern and vibrant business district.
We can never forget that Buncefield was a major disaster for Hemel Hempstead, but from the flames we have a tremendous opportunity to rebuild and rejuvenate, not only the Maylands business district, but the town and district as a whole.
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