Petrol-derve mix makes bombs
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TWELVE lorries refuelled with a mixture of petrol and diesel fuel at the depot of haulier W. T. Sanderson Ltd, of Featherstone, Yorks, early on Wednesday, but within hours the trucks described as "potential bombs" — had been traced by police. The
search covered Yorkshire, Northumbria and Durham.
The drivers were warned not to try to refuel or to tamper with the fuel caps and that if they should run out of fuel they should contact the depot immediately.
A West Yorkshire police spokesman said that while the vehicles were moving, the danger was only slight, whereas they would be "potential bombs" if the fuel tank caps were to be removed.
An investigation revealed that a delivery of petrol to the depot several days earlier had been inadvertently pumped into a diesel fuel storage tank. The mistake came to light after an artic exploded and caught fire. It is believed that the driver Mr George Wood, who escaped with facial burns, was checking fuel level when a spark from his nylon clothing caused the explosion.