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CNN.com
HEMEL HEMPSTEAD, England — As firefighters battled blazes at an oil depot north of London for a fourth day, the Hertfordshire Fire Brigade responded to criticism that it was not adequately prepared for Sunday’s explosions and subsequent fires at the Bunceford Oil Depot.
Two fires were burning Wednesday, according to the fire brigade’s press office: One at a tank where some of the fuel penetrated the concrete walls surrounding it, and the second where petroleum leaked out of a destroyed valve.
The first blaze was being tackled with fire suppressant foam, the fire brigade said, while the second was left to burn itself out, as that was deemed safer than fighting it.
On Tuesday, the fire brigade said it had doused the last of the major fuel-driven fires that had been burning since massive pre-dawn explosions Sunday.
The blasts injured 43 people, but Hertfordshire Chief Constable Frank Whiteley said all but two had been released from hospitals by Monday morning, and those two did not have life-threatening injuries.
Police said on Wednesday residents had begun returning to the area nearest the depot, which was evacuated after the blasts.
Fire officials said 20 tanks were extinguished on Tuesday, and some small fires remain, including one valve authorities are concerned about.
Authorities said it was still much too early to speculate on the cause of the blasts and subsequent fires.
Responding to apparent criticism from the Fire Brigade Union saying Hertfordshire’s fire brigade was not prepared for the incident, the fire brigade’s press office said: “We are stunned that they say we are not adequately prepared ... Actually, we had six training exercises on the oil depot site in the last six months. They were for fires such as this, (and the) last one was only three weeks ago.”
“In an incident of this scale, no way could one single fire brigade tackle it,” the statement said. “They would need help, and that is how fire brigades work. We are extremely proud of our firefighters and all they have done.”
Authorities believe the explosions were an accident, although the investigation was ongoing.
Residents of Hemel Hempstead, near the depot, reported hearing a loud boom about 6 a.m. Sunday. Two other blasts followed, British television network ITN reported, at 6:26 and 6:27 a.m.
Texaco owns 40 percent of Buncefield, but does not operate the facility. The other 60 percent is owned by Total, according to Texaco-Chevron UK and U.S.-based Texaco. Although the terminal is the fifth-largest in Britain, Whiteley told reporters there should be no concern about a fuel shortage.