kings cross: inside the zone of death

A DANGEROUS fire, involving highly explosive cylinders of oxyacetylene, has turned Kings Cross into a 'twilight zone' of potential mass destruction (PMD).

The fire started when sparks from an oxyacetylene torch used to cut steel set fire to a wooden pallet at the top of the tower.

Against all Health and Safety Regulations the inflamable wooden pallet was loaded with cylinders of highly explosive oxyacetylene.

Today a flame could be seen burning out of a leak in one of the cylinders, and emergency services feared it could 'go critical' at any time setting off a massive explosion and fireball which would destroy the entire area.

Above: The 'Zone of Death' installation, Kings Cross, London. Cranes by Sir Robert McAlpine (who built the original Wembly Stadium); security by the Metropolitan Police; potential massive disaster by A Bunch of Cowboys.

Accident prevention advice: "Oxygen will cause a fire to burn more fiercely and a mixture of oxygen and a fuel gas can cause an explosion. It is, therefore, essential that the oxygen cylinders are separated from the fuel gas cylinders and stored in an area free from combustible material."

Above: Inside the 'Zone of Death' today it was the ultimate 'Congestion Zone' - there was no traffic at all. Like the zombie horror movie 28 Days Later - Kings Cross was as quiet as a grave yard.

Above: You could hear a pin drop as schmoo watched a crane hoist observers, armed with a heat sensing camera, towards the tower in a daring 'space hoist mission'.

Above: The observers mission was to try to estimate the weakness of the burnt pallet, which is all that is preventing the cylinders from falling seven stories to the ground. Meanwhile schmoo has heard that contractors on the site have been told that the disruption will go on for at least "several days" and could last "up to 10 days". However commuter trains may be allowed to start running into the main line Kings Cross station tomorrow.

Above: Thunderbirds are Go! The observers get closer - apparently they are actually hoping the burning cylinder will fall, ending the risk of it detonating the other cylinders in an explosion which would make Bin Laden proud.

• Some people are complaining about a paternalistic, 'Mummy State' over reaction by the authorities in closing down Kings Cross, one of the main commuter hubs in London (supposedly eight 'ley lines' also converge there). However, it must be better to be alive and complaining, than running the serious risk of being blown to pieces in a horrific disaster, which will only serve to sell more news papers like the 'Evening Death Standard'. People should remember that while we are lucky to live in a Welfare State, there is as yet no citizen's complaint procedure for the dead. This is no doubt yet another example of the failings of the Home Office - but David Cameron, leader of the 'Living Dead Party' is probally working on it, because if all the dead Tories could vote, he might be the next Prime Minister. Then he would start even more wars than Tony Blair, creating yet more dead people to vote for him. That would be a real horror show'; 'The Rise of the Living Dead Tories.'

•schmoo can exclusively reveal that the sequal to '28 Days Later' is to be filmed at Canery Wharf. This seems apt as the place is already full of zombies.