Buncefield oil fire the result of negligence
June 4, 2008
During a preliminary hearing Mr Justice David Steel, High Court judge, ruled that the Buncefield oil fire in 2005 was the result of negligence.
He ruled that a supervisor on duty on the night of the explosion was negligent. However, Justice Steel did not make any ruling as to which company was responsible for such negligence.
Total UK and Hertfordshire Oil Storage Ltd (HOSL), a joint venture between Total and Chevron, are facing hundreds of compensation claims from individuals and local businesses that were disrupted by the explosion.
The ruling came during a preliminary hearing of a case in which victims of the blast are suing the oil companies and HOSL for up to £1 billion in damages.
The full hearing, set to begin in October 2008, will deal with the question of which company involved in the dispute is liable for the negligence of the duty supervisor.
A report by an independent investigation board in 2006 on the explosion, which destroyed £10 million of fuel and caused 43 injuries, did not apportion blame, but found that human error and faulty safety equipment were responsible.
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