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| Fireworks depot blaze kills two | |
| (19 minutes later) | |
| Two fire crew members have been killed in a major blaze at a fireworks depot. | |
| At least 12 people have also been injured, some seriously, in the fire at the Festival Fireworks factory near Halland in East Sussex. | |
| Twelve ambulances, 10 fire engines, and an air ambulance attended the premises at The Broyle from 1350 GMT. | |
| Eye-witnesses reported seeing a huge mushroom cloud of smoke from several miles away and explosions of fireworks which sent debris through the air. | |
| Sussex Police said a fire officer and a member of the fire support staff had died, while nine fire service workers were injured along with two members of the public and a police officer. | |
| Lewes MP Norman Baker said: "It is a terrible event and I feel deeply sad for the families that have lost firefighters. | |
| "It is always sad when someone dies, but particularly when they are serving other people and part of the emergency services and essentially putting their lives on the line for other people." | |
| It was like a fireworks display with a fire in the middle of it Eye-witness Richard Mitchell Seven casualties were taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital, in Brighton, including five from the emergency services. | |
| Two of the seven are said to be in a serious but stable condition. | |
| The other patients are being treated for burns and what are described as "limb injuries". | |
| Jim Parrott, south-east region secretary for the Fire Brigades Union, said: "We are extremely sorry for the loss and feel for the families of the two firefighters. | |
| "We will take every step to co-operate with the East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service in their investigations." | "We will take every step to co-operate with the East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service in their investigations." |
| BBC reporter Rob Smith said the fire was still raging and fireworks were going off hours after the blaze started. | BBC reporter Rob Smith said the fire was still raging and fireworks were going off hours after the blaze started. |
| 'Colossal smoke' | 'Colossal smoke' |
| John Winter, whose brother owns the depot at Marley Farm, in Shortgate, told BBC News 24 there had been "an almighty bang, and the place shook". | |
| He said his brother and family had managed to get out of the building safely, but their house had burnt down. | |
| Residents in the area have been evacuated to Ringmer Community College. | Residents in the area have been evacuated to Ringmer Community College. |
| It is understood the fireworks store is a concrete complex with steel doors. | It is understood the fireworks store is a concrete complex with steel doors. |
| Jo Hyne, who lives about 500m from the depot, said she heard a loud bang which she had thought at first was thunder. | Jo Hyne, who lives about 500m from the depot, said she heard a loud bang which she had thought at first was thunder. |
| Pieces of wood [were] falling, hissing into puddles around us, at which point we left pretty sharpish Eye-witness Claire Freeman She said there was "a colossal amount of smoke, and rockets going off", before a much larger explosion that shook her house. | Pieces of wood [were] falling, hissing into puddles around us, at which point we left pretty sharpish Eye-witness Claire Freeman She said there was "a colossal amount of smoke, and rockets going off", before a much larger explosion that shook her house. |
| Another eye-witness, Richard Mitchell, watched the drama unfold from outside a pub in Lewes Road, Ringmer. | Another eye-witness, Richard Mitchell, watched the drama unfold from outside a pub in Lewes Road, Ringmer. |
| "It was like a fireworks display with a fire in the middle of it," he said. | "It was like a fireworks display with a fire in the middle of it," he said. |
| Claire Freeman, from Ringmer, had been eating in the Wok Inn next door to the depot when the fire broke out. | Claire Freeman, from Ringmer, had been eating in the Wok Inn next door to the depot when the fire broke out. |
| She said diners were evacuated to the car park at the time of the largest explosion. | She said diners were evacuated to the car park at the time of the largest explosion. |
| She told the BBC news website: "Pieces of wood [were] falling, hissing into puddles around us, at which point we left pretty sharpish." | She told the BBC news website: "Pieces of wood [were] falling, hissing into puddles around us, at which point we left pretty sharpish." |
| 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: |
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| 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. |
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