Mass Panic as Giant Flame Lights Up Hampshire Sky at Esso Refinery
Hundreds of shocked locals near ExxonMobil’s Esso refinery in Hampshire dialled 999 fearing a disaster. The culprit? A towering, blazing orange flame lighting up the night sky for miles.
Flaring Procedure Sparks Alarm
ExxonMobil confirmed it activated a safety measure called flaring after an “interruption in operations.” The giant flame – visible from Portsmouth and even the Isle of Wight – sent waves of panic across Southampton’s western shores.
What Is Flaring? ExxonMobil Explains
The oil giant sought to calm nerves, explaining: “Flaring is a safe, controlled and environmentally-approved way of burning off excess gas which would normally be recycled.” They added that while the flame may look alarming, it’s a crucial safety step during operational glitches or maintenance.
“Our teams are working to resolve the issue and will resume normal operations as soon as possible. We apologise for any concern or inconvenience caused.” – ExxonMobil
Emergency Services Overwhelmed
Hampshire Fire and Rescue reported a flood of emergency calls as residents reported the sky ablaze in the New Forest and surrounding areas. They even had to call in backup from Dorset’s fire services to handle the surge.
So next time you see a giant flame from a refinery flare stack, remember it’s a safety flare – not a fire! But it’s clear these giant orange pillars still send hearts racing across Hampshire.
