HERTFORDSHIRE Oil Storage Limited (HOSL), which occupies part of the Buncefield site, says it has received around 3,700 formal legal claims, and that about two thirds of these have either already been settled or are due to be settled.

The oil firm - a joint venture between Total and Chevron – refused however, to give details of how much money it had paid out in compensation.

Solicitor Des Collins, who represents about 280 people affected by Buncefield, said his clients are trying to claim approximately £10million in compensation.  He said his clients had received a total of only about £40,000 to date.  He added “I have no reason to believe that this is not representative of the majority of claimants in this litigation.”

A spokesman for HOSL said: “HOSL is committed to progressing all claims as swiftly as possible, and has entered into structured settlement negotiations with a very significant number of both individual claimants’ and insurance companies.”

The spokesman added the claims settled by HOSL did not mean the company had accepted any liability for the Buncefield disaster.

Mr Collins said liability could be decided at a trail in October next year.

He said: “We will argue at that trial not the value of claims, but who is at fault.”

He added: “I have no doubt we will win that trial.  “It is only following that they will have to pay.”