BP to pay $50m fine for Texas oil blast

A judge has approved a highly criticised plea deal that fines BP $50 million (£36 million) for its criminal role in a refinery blast that killed 15 people.

The deadly 2005 explosion at the Texas City refinery near Houston also injured more than 170 people.

Victims of the blast and their families vigorously objected to the deal and said the fine was too low. They argued federal sentencing laws allowed it to be as high as $3.2 billion.

But US district judge Lee Rosenthal backed the deal which sees a BP subsidiary plead guilty to a violation of the Clean Air Act.

Eva Rowe, whose parents James and Linda Rowe were killed in the blast, said: "I though the punishment would be more than $50 million. That's pocket change for BP."

Prosecutors and BP defended the agreement.

"It demonstrates that the federal government takes seriously its mission to prosecute those who knowingly violate the nation's environmental laws," said prosecutors.