Oxford explosion: Huge fireball rips through sky in terrifying moment

The explosion, which lit up the night sky at around 7.45pm, led to a number of local residents taking to social media to voice their concern about the moment.

One wrote: "Anybody else in Oxford see that fireball??

Explosion North-West of Oxford. pic.twitter.com/d7ypIdvs2m

— Knocker (@Knocker) October 2, 2023

"Loud explosion and then the sky just did this, keep in mind it's supposed to be dark."

Another snapped footage of the event and said the "sky was pulsating".

The sky over Oxford was left glowing for just two minutes, users have claimed.

Some members of the public reportedly momentarily lost power shortly after the blast.

The incident was said to have taken place north west of Oxford.

Emergency services reportedly rushed along the A40 minutes later.

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A social media user claimed: "There were lots of fire brigade /police cars minutes later going through A40."

However, Oxfordshire was named as one of the counties at risk from a yellow weather warning for thunderstorms.

The Met Office said: "Thunderstorms with frequent lightning have already affected parts of the warning area, these continuing into the evening in places.

"An increasing risk of longer-lasting intense downpours too, especially later this evening and further east across the warning area, for example towards south Lincolnshire and East Anglia.

"These storms are likely to be focused in relatively narrow bands, so some places will miss the worst, while a few locations might catch 25-50 mm of rain within 2 or 3 hours, along with frequent lightning and gusty winds."

Thames Valley Police confirmed the current theory is lightning struck gas containers at a waste plant near Yarnton.

Severn Trent Green Power said a digester tank at its Cassington AD facility was struck by lightning resulting in the biogas within that tank igniting at around 7.20pm.

Severn Trent Green Power added: "Thankfully no one has been hurt and we are working with the emergency services to make sure the site is safe so that we can assess the damage as soon as possible."

Residents near the Yarnton facility have reportedly been urged to keep their windows closed while emergency services continue to tackle the ongoing blaze.

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