The head office of Northgate Information Solutions, the
software and outsourcing firm, has been seriously damaged by
Sunday’s wave of massive explosions at the Buncefield oil depot
near Hemel Hempstead.
Northgate said the fabric of its head office plus the fixtures
and equipment inside were severely damaged, and back-up systems
that were in place were also rendered inoperable.
Four Northgate staff members were injured by the blasts, but
none seriously.
The closure of the head office affects around 400 Northgate
staff. In the interim, its remote data centres and other offices
around the country will be used to maintain services.
The European headquarters of 3Com, the networks specialist, was
also damaged by the blast, but it has reported no injuries to
staff.
The 3Com office was inaccessible on Monday and all staff were
instructed to work from home.
