SAFETY concerns surrounding LNG have been reignited by Sunday's blast at a fuel depot near Hemel Hempstead.

Environmental and safety pressure groups have repeated calls for a full, independent risk assessment of two LNG terminals being constructed near Milford Haven. In light of the early morning explosion at the Buncefield oil depot, Safe Haven has demanded that 'secret' risk assessments be made public and scrutinised by independent experts.

Spokesman for the group, Gordon Main, said: "That we are still seriously planning to bring in LNG without publicly available, independent risk assessment for the LNG shipping is a scandal that simply cannot be allowed to continue."

Mr Main said the incident at the Hertfordshire facility backed the group's concern that no realistic emergency plan could be implemented in case of an LNG accident.

But Milford Haven Port Authority, responsible for controlling shipping in the Haven, refuted that claim.

Chief executive Ted Sangster said: "My understanding of it is, that they (the terminal) had emergency plans in place and the way they responded was in accord with that plan."

He said similar emergency plans co-ordinated with a number of agencies were also in place in Pembrokeshire.

"They are regularly exercised and will incorporate the different characteristics of LNG, well before we see the first LNG shipment," added Mr Sangster.

Pembrokeshire Friends of the Earth hopes the massive blast will make such authorities stop and reassess the Milford Haven development.

"If something similar were to occur with LNG close to a populated area the consequences would be far worse because of the highly flammable nature of the fuel," said spokesman Gordon James.

But Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire MP Nick Ainger dismissed connections being made between the explosion and LNG saying they were completely different.

He added: "We know from 45 years of experience in the oil industry in Pembroke-shire that on very rare occasions things do go wrong, but overall the industry has a very good safety record and has all the safety provisions in place."