Tanker driver seeks personal injury compensation after Buncefield
24 Aug 2010
A former oil tanker driver who says he was injured during the
Buncefield oil depot explosion is seeking
personal
injury compensation from Total UK, it has emerged.
Bruce Rice, 50, had been pulling into the staff car park on
December 11th 2005 when the blast ripped through the storage tanks,
the London Evening Standard reports.
The explosion measured 2.4 on the Richter scale and occurred when
300 tonnes of petrol spilled from storage tanks and created a
vapour cloud which then ignited.
Mr Rice - a contractor for the Wincanton Group at the time -
alleges that the force from the explosion rocked his car, causing
spine problems which led to him later developing depression and
post-traumatic stress disorder.
He is now suing Total UK for GBP 1 million for the suffering and
"significant injuries" he was caused.
Last month, the companies involved in the Buncefield oil depot
disaster were given record fines for their part in health and
safety failures that led to the incident.
Total received the largest fine at GBP 6.2 million, while
Hertfordshire Oil Storage Limited was ordered to pay GBP 2.4
million and the British Pipeline Agency was told it would have to
pay GBP 780,000.
Meanwhile, Motherwell Control Systems 2003 and TAV Engineering were
both fined GBP 1,500 each.
However, Hemel Hempstead MP Mike Penning was critical of the lack
of compensation provided to homeowners and businesses, which were
forced to evacuate when the explosion occurred.
Many firms still have claims for remuneration pending after they
lost business as a result of the prolonged closure.
