A CAMPAIGNER is calling for Essex County Council chiefs to tighten up safety checks on potentially explosive fuel storage sites.

It comes as the Echo can reveal a further leak of flammable liquid petroleum gas at the Petroplus oil refinery, at Coryton.

A Health and Safety Executive spokeswoman confirmed there was an escape of petroleum liquid on the site, on October 29.

The watchdog would not say at this stage whether or not the gas leaked from a fuel storage tank, or how much gas was emitted.

However, she said: “There were no injuries, but we are investigating the incident.”

The health and safety watchdog usually only investigates incidents involving death, injury or suspected breaches of legislation.

Because there were no injuries, it is thought the investigation must have been launched into a breach of safety laws.

The latest incident brings the number of leaks, explosions or tank overflows at the refinery since 2007 to 16 – with 11 in the past two years.

Four of these incident are now being probed by the executive, including the leak on October 29, and prosecutions could follow.

George Whatley, from Canvey, who is chairman of People Against Methane pressure group, said: “This is a big concern. South Essex, in particular Canvey, has three of the five top-tier Control of Major Accident Hazards (Comah) sites in Essex.

“The exclusion zones for all three – Coryton, Oikos, on Canvey, and Calor Gas, also on Canvey – overlap.

“If there was an explosion at any of them it could be catastrophic.”

Top-tier Comah sites are designated for the toughest possible health and safety inspections, because they pose such a high potential risk to people living nearby.

Mr Whatley believes there is too much self-regulation of local sites and Essex County Council is dragging its heels over introducing tougher annual external inspections.

He thinks these should lead to the loss of the fuel storage plants’ operating licences, if failings are found.

His group gave evidence to the council’s Safer and Stronger Communities Committee on the issue two years ago, but he claims it keeps postponing a decision.

He has also asked Castle Point MP Rebecca Harris to arrange a meeting with ministers to discuss safety concerns.

Essex County Council was asked for a comment, but failed to reply in time. Petroplus declined to comment.