Buncefield response
Community and business impact
The explosion and subsequent fire at the Buncefield Oil Depot in Hemel Hempstead on 11 December 2005 had a massive impact on the local community. As well as residents living near to the depot, it also affected hundreds of people employed on the Maylands Industrial Estate.
This was the largest and most lengthy emergency response that we have ever had to deal with.
More information about the impact of the Buncefield incident on the local community and businesses can be found below:
Prosecutions
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Environment Agency (EA) secured convictions against five companies. For more information, please see the 
HSE Buncefield report (PDF 7MB).
HSE and EA are the 'Competent Authority' responsible for regulating non-nuclear major hazardous industrial sites in England and Wales under the Control of Major Accident Hazard Regulations 1999 (COMAH).
Page Last Updated: Wednesday, 19 July 2023 at 03:30 PM