A Dutch court has ordered Royal Dutch Shell to pay €2.5m fine for failing to prevent an explosion at its petrochemical plant in Moerdijk, the Netherlands, and for breaching emissions limits at the plant, according to Reuters.
Two people were injured in two major explosions which took place at the plant 3 June 2016.
In a 17 June ruling, the district court in Den Bosch said Shell “had not done enough” to prevent the incident and the ensuing large fire at the plant.
“The factory, employees, the surroundings and the environment were subject to great danger that day”, Reuters said citing the court ruling.
Additionally, the court also said that Shell had not noticed a leak which resulted in the emission of ethylene oxide “far above legal limits” from the end of 2015 until early 2016.
In a statement on the same day, Shell Moerdijk said it had always maintained that it should have prevented the incidents.
"We should have prevented the incidents. We learned from it; we have invested and adjusted the operational management. These incidents cannot happen anymore," said Shell Moerdijk general manager Richard Zwinkels.
Shell said it is studying the verdict.