BP has budgeted around $40bn for the total costs of the fatal blast on the Deepwater Horizon rig in April 2010, which led to the biggest offshore spill in US history.

Two other Globetrotters who were in the master bedroom testified this month that they did not hear Mr. Williams curse or taunt the victim before the fatal blast.

The other fatal blast, which killed Hugh C. Scrutton, a computer store owner in Sacramento, occurred in 1985, before the Federal death penalty was reinstated.

The same offshoot of the militant Islamic movement Hamas that claimed responsibility last week for the explosion in Jerusalem and for another fatal blast in Ashkelon also took responsibility today.

The penalty, imposed against the owner of the plant, Napp Technologies, by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, was a fraction of fines in previous fatal industrial blasts.

The army is nevertheless convinced that the first shell, which they say was shot at least eight minutes prior to the fatal blast, could not have fallen on the beach almost half a kilometer away from its intended target.

Failure also investigated last year's fatal blast at the Phillips Petroleum polyethylene plant in Houston and the collapse of a department store roof in Brownsville, Tex., in 1988.

The attack was the third fatal blast in as many days.

Two men who were at Jayson Williams's country estate on the night a chauffeur was killed there testified on Tuesday that they saw Mr. Williams wiping down a shotgun moments after the fatal blast.

In response to that allegation, Mr. Martin said the fatal blast caused chaos and pandemonium in the bedroom.