Nearly three years ago, Ian Silverstein, one of my dear friends and guest contributors to this site was simply minding his own business, asleep, when his home and everything in it was destroyed by Britain’s largest peacetime explosion.

His life would never be the same.

It’s now known as the Buncefield Depot explosion, and little has been done to remedy the situation for the people affected by this massive incident. Ian lost everything, his beautiful home, all of his belongings, and years later he suffers from symptoms caused by the blast. Frankly, he’s lucky to be alive– and he knows it, but deserves closure and help from the companies that caused it.

Literally, nothing has been done to help him with his situation — or anybody for that matter. The local authorities have failed him, the governments have failed him, insurance has failed him, and the companies that operated the facilities — Total and Chevron — have ducked blame entirely. The massive companies made more than £18 billion in cash last year, but can’t help a few people out when a leak in their tanks caused massive and catastrophic damage to dozens of people’s lives.

Watch this video, send it to your friends, and let’s help Ian get the closure he deserves. Don’t believe how big this thing was? Check out this feed of Flickr photos. A sample after the jump.


Harry Cichy Wednesday, 11.12.08 @ 12:06 am

Ian Silverstein home destroyed by the Buncefield explosion and blast in 2005. I am pleased to have been off some asststance in Ian’s fight for justice. It is a ‘Total’ disgrace that ‘Buncefield Three Years On’ residents find themselves in this position.


matt Wednesday, 11.12.08 @ 12:12 am

“nothing has been done to help him with his situation.” dude. sue? i mean i imagine you have, but there’s no indication of it in this write-up. makes it very hard to feel bad for you. makes it seem as though you’re hiding something, like maybe the fact that you got the house cheap in exchange for bearing the risk?


Tim Wednesday, 11.12.08 @ 12:39 am

Thats insane. How can this happen. Someone has to step in.


Robin Wednesday, 11.12.08 @ 10:34 am

@ Matt

There is a link to http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/law/article4861235.ece

Read that before you draw ignorant conclusions making you appear like a complete asshat.


ferg Thursday, 11.13.08 @ 7:37 am

This is a real shame. The UK is too small a country for such depots to be built completely away from housing. Companies should be held responsible for all damage caused by their facilities. All we can do is make sure that enough bad publicity will cause sufficient loss of profit to make them regret their legal wrangling.




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