News
UK: Westminster, May 21 2003. Woman had blacked out before crashing into propane tank A mother-of-five died after being enveloped in freezing liquid propane when she blacked out at the wheel of her car and smashed into a four-ton storage tank. Wendy Moore, 56, a children's helper from Rickmansworth, suffered horrific cold burns to her legs at the Shell petrol station on Stirling Corner as her white Metro was engulfed in the freezing gas last November, Westminster Coroner's Court heard last week. With only seconds left to try to save her life, firefighter Grant Waldron snatched her from the car, suffering freeze burns in the process. Other motorists had desperately tried to reach her but feared the evaporating gas could be ignited by a spark at any moment. Mrs Moore was taken to Chelsea & Westminster burns unit by
14
helicopter, but died a month later. Recording a verdict of accidental death, Coroner Dr Paul Knapman said: "The whole thing is a freak accident. She died in very difficult and unpleasant circumstances." Mrs Moore had been on her way to her mother's house in Burnt Oak when she was believed to have suffered a diabetic seizure or a minor heart attack as she drove around the roundabout. Motorist Jonathan Lawler, from Gospel Oak, described how Mrs Moore's car missed his own by inches before careering into the propane tank. "I looked behind to see the Metro cross the station forecourt, go past a man and a boy washing their car, and collide with a gas tank in a metal cage. "We tried to get the boot open but it was locked and we thought about smashing the back window but we were not sure whether that would make a spark," he said.
UK: Croydon, May 21 2003. Youths play with near Tanker Youths who pretended to set a fuel tanker alight as its owner filled up at a petrol station in Norbury last week could have caused a catastrophe, police have warned. The youths, who were sparking a cigarette lighter next to the lorry, smashed the vehicle's owner over the head with a bottle after he pushed them off the forecourt. The incident started at the Jet garage on London Road, in between Thornton Heath and Norbury, last Tuesday (May 13) at around 7.15pm. After the pair were pushed away from the highly flammable fuel tanker they returned moments later with a bottle, which they used to attack the driver before running off. The pair's foolish actions have prompted police appeal for witnesses. A Croydon Police spokesman said: "The stupidity of these people is astounding. They repeatedly flicked a cigarette lighter next to a fuel tanker on the forecourt of a petrol station. This was during rush hour on a busy road. If it had caught alight, it would have been catastrophic. " To top it off they then attacked the lorry driver with a bottle after he pushed them away from the vehicle. He is recovering in hospital. He added the driver's injuries were not life threatening. The victim, a lorry driver in his 20s from Essex, was taken to Mayday Hospital where he was treated for a deep gash to his forehead. Police have described the suspects, aged in their late teens/early 20s, as a
white male and a black male.
UK: Cheshire, May 22 2003. Thefts fuel security fears Staff at Stanlow have raised security fears after the theft of two loaded fuel tankers from the refinery in five weeks. On April 15 a vehicle containing 36,000 litres of diesel was stolen from the Oil Sites Road depot and found later at a nearby motorway junction minus most of its load. And on May 3 another tanker containing 35,000 litres of diesel was stolen. First the cab, then the trailer were later found in Manchester. Details of the thefts came in a phone call to the Pioneer from a Stanlow employee, who wished to remain anonymous. He criticised security at the Oil Sites Road depot and described the thefts as”'an ideal opportunity for a terrorist attack.” He said: 'My colleagues and I are very concerned about what has happened. We thought the first incident was an opportunist theft, but when the second one happened the alarm bells started ringing. I don't think these fears are groundless, because the FBI has warned our Government to be aware of al-Queda stealing fuel tankers in this country for terrorism purposes.” He added: “The security is poor at the depot and the full fuel capacity of one of the tankers being used in a terrorist attack would be catastrophic. We are all very concerned about what happened.” However, Edward Brady, Shell's public affairs manager, was keen to dismiss the terrorism theory and believes the theft of the fuel was for resale purposes. He said: 'We can confirm the theft of two road tankers from our distribution terminal on Oil Sites Road. The first theft occurred on April 15 when a vehicle containing 36,000 litres of diesel was stolen in the early hours of the morning. It was found abandoned under Junction 7 of the M53 several hours later with 2,600 litres of product remaining in the tank.' Mr Brady added: 'The second incident took place on May 3 when a vehicle containing 35,000 litres of diesel was removed from the terminal. The cab was recovered from the Manchester area five days later and, subsequently, the trailer was also found. 'New measures have now been put in place to ensure there are no further crimes of this nature.' A Cheshire police spokeswoman confirmed both incidents are currently being investigated.
