19 December 2005 - Lord Hunt visits site of Buncefield oil depot
Lord Hunt today praised the round-the-clock work carried out by Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspectors as he visited the devastated Buncefield oil storage depot.
A joint HSE/Environment Agency investigation team has been established to determine the cause of the massive explosion at the site.
Lord Hunt, Minister for Health and Safety, said:
“I’m very impressed by the determination, skill and team spirit that the HSE inspectors have shown since they were allowed onto the site.
“They are looking at every possible angle and have already started the process of taking witness statements. Their investigation will be detailed, thorough and wide-ranging.
“It is too early to determine or even speculate on the cause of the incident but we are confident that we will be able to identify the root cause.
“HSE will share any immediate lessons with industry across Britain and will publish a report on the incident, the investigation and any implications for the control and mitigation of on and off-site risks as soon as is practicable.”
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