Cemetery closed near oil-depot fire
A cemetery near the Buncefield oil depot has been closed amid fears the explosions at the site may have left memorial stones unsafe.
Dacorum Borough Council said Woodwells Cemetery may not be open to visitors over Christmas because of worries it is unstable.
Burials already planned will be rearranged to take place at other nearby graveyards.
Woodwells is just inside the exclusion zone set up around the burning depot, and the damage and access will be assessed once it is lifted.
A council spokeswoman this could take “some time” and the site would be closed until further notice.
“Due to circumstances beyond the council’s control the cemetery may not be open to visitors over the Christmas period,” she said.
“There is concern about the stability of the whole site including memorial stones and therefore in the interest of health and safety members of the public are unable to gain access until a proper evaluation of the site has taken place.
“We are committed to doing everything possible to get the cemetery up and running as soon as possible.”
Anyone who has a burial arranged for this week or next should contact their funeral director for advice and guidance, she added.
She could not say if there was visible damage to the cemetery.
