Brand in Londen
Who heard the big bang? Apparently yestermorn's explosion of the Fuel depots at Buncefield near Hemel Hempstead were heard even in the Netherlands and France, whereas I, a mere 20-30 miles away, slept peacefully. There seemed to be rain in the air; dark clouds moved like a front, but after I heard the news of the fire and had another look the clouds were actually a bit different! Too thin, too brownish-black to be rain clouds: these were the clouds of burning petrol smoke you can see on the BBC picture below (story).

Well, that all fitted in with the Fire theme that's been haunting the last couple of days, starting with last wednesday's fire alarm tests, thursday's fire alarm (false it seemed) and sunday evening ended it all by bringing us, peaceful residents of these central London halls, a proper fire alarm. Apparently somebody forgot about his/her dinner still being on the stove ... Like thursday (I wisely stayed away during wednesday's announced tests), the fire fighters came very quickly sirens and all, but unlike last thursday they started to unroll their fire-hoses! By sunday we, peaceful residents, had become annoyed - not again! - residents, but this put things back in perspective, I guess. Still, the fire alarm is not funny if only because it really and truly hurts your ears so hard you only want out. So, there's another reason I don't understand the one resident that decided to stay in his room and wait for the fire-fighters to turn the damned noise off.