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Major fire at fireworks factory | Major fire at fireworks factory |
(20 minutes later) | |
A major fire has broken out at a fireworks factory in East Sussex. | A major fire has broken out at a fireworks factory in East Sussex. |
Sussex Police said firefighters from the county were called to The Broyle in Ringmer, near Halland, between Lewes and Hailsham at 1350 GMT. | |
Witnesses have spoken of seeing a huge mushroom cloud of smoke from several miles away and fireworks going off. | |
Police have declared the fire a major incident and are evacuating the area. According to reports, some people have been injured. | Police have declared the fire a major incident and are evacuating the area. According to reports, some people have been injured. |
Six ambulances, 10 fire engines, and an air ambulance are at the scene. | Six ambulances, 10 fire engines, and an air ambulance are at the scene. |
'Rockets going off' | |
A spokeswoman for East Sussex Fire and Rescue said: "There has been an explosion and there are people injured." | |
John Winter, whose brother owns the factory, told BBC News 24 there had been "an almighty bang, and the place shook". | John Winter, whose brother owns the factory, told BBC News 24 there had been "an almighty bang, and the place shook". |
He said his brother and sons had managed to get out of the factory safely. | He said his brother and sons had managed to get out of the factory safely. |
"The place is still burning, but no-one is doing anything," he said. | "The place is still burning, but no-one is doing anything," he said. |
Tiles and windows had been blown into neighbouring houses, Mr Winter added. | Tiles and windows had been blown into neighbouring houses, Mr Winter added. |
It is understood the fireworks factory is a concrete complex with steel doors. | |
Jo Hyne, who lives about 500m from the factory, said she heard a loud bang which she had thought at first was thunder. | |
She said there was "a colossal amount of smoke, and rockets going off", before a much larger explosion that shook her house. | |
She added that a friend who lived five miles away had had two doors in her house blown off. | |
Are you in the area? Have you seen anything? If you have any information you would like to share with the BBC you can do so using the form below: | Are you in the area? Have you seen anything? If you have any information you would like to share with the BBC you can do so using the form below: |
You can also send pictures and video to: yourpics@bbc.co.uk or to send via MMS please dial: 07725 100 100. | You can also send pictures and video to: yourpics@bbc.co.uk or to send via MMS please dial: 07725 100 100. |
Do not endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. | Do not endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. |
Click here for terms and conditions on sending photos and video | Click here for terms and conditions on sending photos and video |