BPA changes plea over Buncefield explosion

Published: 22 January, 2010

The British Pipeline Agency has decided to retract its not guilty plea over the explosion at the Buncefield Oil Depot on December 11 2005.

Following an administrative hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice on Wednesday, the Agency has admitted that it did not take adequate precautions to prevent major accidents between November 18 2001 and December 12 2005. The company has also accepted responsibility for allowing polluting matter – firewater chemical and fuel – to enter the chalk aquifer under Buncefield.

Other companies facing charges in relation to the explosion are: Total UK, Herts Oil Storage Ltd, TAV Engineering and Motherwell Control Systems.

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