Oil Storage - Environmental Investigation

Following a number of explosions at a large Oil Storage Depot, a large fire engulfed over 20 large fuel storage tanks over a high proportion of the site. Significant damage occurred to both commercial and residential properties in the vicinity and a large area around the site was evacuated on emergency service advice. About 2,000 people were evacuated. Sections of the nearby motorway were also closed. Depot operators required environmental investigations to be carried out within the site and surrounding area

On environmental issues the focus was on containment of products and fire-fighting materials on site and releases of toxins from these contaminants to the environment. Pathways of pollutants into the environment were identified and the scale of impact to the environment both on and off site with regard to land and water was identified.