Oxford life. Thirtysomething challenges. Music leanings. Anything really.

With no deaths to make us feel guilty about, the inferno in Hemel Hempstead becomes a thrilling, rather than a depressing, story.

Plenty of houses and businesses are damaged, and the environmental cost must be pretty big, but our minds find it hard to comprehend that.

Instead, the photo and tv potential of this disaster is incredible. This photo is from the BBC, and I think captures the scale wonderfully.

It's also the kind of disaster we can all claim some ownership of. Friends Johnny and Freya thought an earthquake hit them in Thame yesterday morning. And as I sit here, looking out of my window, I see high wispy black clouds. I know the wind's changed in our direction - is this The Cloud of Toxic Fumes heading to Oxford? Astma sufferers - hide!