Explosion at Rackheath ?

[Guest]

A large bang was heard around Broadland at approx 21:15 this evening

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-12177392

and

http://twitter.com/#search?q=rackheath

[Guest]

Ho ho ho:

A Salhouse resident, who felt the explosion from her home, said: “The whole house shook, ornaments smashed, and it was so loud I thought a bomb had gone off. The blast shook the house so hard I fell off my chair.â€

Whilst I will concur with the bomb comment (it sounded exactly like that) I think the rest of the description stretches a credibility a little. I didn't join the rest of Team NBN last night because I have been run off my feet of late and needed a rest and an early night. However I happened to be on the phone at the time of the explosion and whilst it did make me jump and issue an expletive or two it certainly did not smash ornaments or do anything to the house other than a momentary vibration. It would have taken far more than that to dislodge me from my position on the sofa! I do love how people get a little over excited at these things.

Very glad nobody got hurt though - I dare say had it happened in a housing estate that could have been very different.

[Guest]

I must be invisible.....

[mbird]

I think you'll find there's another thread already running on this one Strowy!

[Guest]

I think you'll find there's another thread already running on this one Strowy!

aha, but look at the time each thread started.....

[NorfolkNog]

The KC Cafe apperently.

http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/clear_up_be ... h_1_773037

[Brian]

Yep KCs Cafe,

Rackheath Ind Est is not on the mains gas, so businesses have to have gas bottles.

KCs had about 3 outside the big orange ones.

The blast has damaged most builds in the line of fire !

The whole place is shut down at the moment, its a local disaster !

[mbird]

That was some boom by the looks of it. No bacon butties today then!

[Dan]

The two threads on this subject have been merged into this one thread

All the best

Dan

[Guest]

Could have been a lot worse though, as you say.

Well the estate is pretty much directly under the flight path to Norwich airport and I can testify that some of the incoming aircraft are really not that high as they pass over Salhouse just a couple of miles from touching down. An aircraft came over less than 2 mins after the explosion - it's probably a good thing it wasn't early!

Anyone who doesn't take the dangers of LPG on a boat seriously, now would probably be a good time for a re-think.

[Guest]

Anyone who doesn't take the dangers of LPG on a boat seriously, now would probably be a good time for a re-think.

Yes indeed. It's also given food for thought about the various houses that use bottled gas for cooking and heating.

I know it's early days yet, and the exact circumstances of the gas explosion is not yet known, but I'm amazed if that much devastation was caused by some free standing red gas cylinders outside the property. I always thought they were fairly safe outside, and that leakage just blew away, and the thisck cylinders were safe as long as they weren't in a fire in an enclosed space, where they could heat up till they exploded.

There are many normal residential properties in Norfolk villages with very large gas bottles just standing between the houses on the driveways....

[Brian]

Ok THe new owners of the Cafe had a new Gas Cooker fitted last week, everyone smelt gas since it was installed.

Would not want to be the plumber who installed it !!

[Guest DAYTONA-BILL]

The cylinders were being kept outside, so it`s possible it was the result of a prank going desasterously wrong, or possibly even sabotage?. Either way, i would have thought the bottles should have been in a locked cage?. I can`t believe the fitter was registered GAS SAFE. If he/she was, then it goes to prove all these health and safety ideas don`t always work.

[Brian]

If Customers inside the cafe smelt gas days before, then it was only time there would be a bang.

The contactor/thermostat in the Display fridge would have ignited the gas inside the building. But by heck, that whole building must had been really full with gas for such a massive explosion.

Roofs of units 80 yards away were blown up a couple of inches forcing the concrete they are bedded into to crack and break off.

Its going to cost millions, the extent of the damage is just mind blowing.

The road will be open later tonight as ive just pooped down to have a chat with the police at Ground Zero.

So businesses will be back on the far side of the estate tommorrow.

A good thing as the football pitches are in a bad way, as we had 300+ cars park on them today.

We have football matches this weekend.

[Guest DAYTONA-BILL]

I wonder if their public liability cover will be enough to pay for it?. You often read in small print that you are covered for up to £x,000,000 of cover, but if the cost of the damage is MILLIONS, then who`s going to foot the repair bill- enter the local tax payer?. Having just written that, it`s just come to mind that loss of revinue, staff wages, loss of buisness and possibly customers to other firms on that site could also come into question. I don`t think i`d like to be in their shoes when they get their next insurance quote, and that`s provided they will get insurance again?. Regards ................Neil.