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| Major fire at fireworks factory | Major fire at fireworks factory |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| A number of people have been hurt, some seriously, in a fire at a fireworks factory near Halland in East Sussex. | |
| Police evacuated the area after fire crews were called to the site at The Broyle industrial estate at 1350 GMT. | Police evacuated the area after fire crews were called to the site at The Broyle industrial estate at 1350 GMT. |
| Eye-witnesses have spoken of seeing a huge mushroom cloud of smoke from several miles away and fireworks have been exploding. | Eye-witnesses have spoken of seeing a huge mushroom cloud of smoke from several miles away and fireworks have been exploding. |
| BBC reporter Rob Smith said the fire is still raging and fireworks were going off hours after the blaze started. | |
| Twelve ambulances, 10 fire engines, and an air ambulance were sent to the scene. | Twelve ambulances, 10 fire engines, and an air ambulance were sent to the scene. |
| Janine Bell, of South East Coast Ambulance Service, said she was not able to confirm the number of casualties. | Janine Bell, of South East Coast Ambulance Service, said she was not able to confirm the number of casualties. |
| But she said the situation "worsened" during the afternoon. | But she said the situation "worsened" during the afternoon. |
| Casualties have been taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital, in Brighton, and Eastbourne District General. | Casualties have been taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital, in Brighton, and Eastbourne District General. |
| John Winter, whose brother owns the factory at Marley Farm, in Shortgate, told BBC News 24 there had been "an almighty bang, and the place shook". | John Winter, whose brother owns the factory 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 factory safely, but their house had burnt down. | He said his brother and family had managed to get out of the factory safely, but their house had burnt down. |
| "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. | It is understood the fireworks factory is a concrete complex with steel doors. |
| It was like a fireworks display with a fire in the middle of it Richard Mitchell, eyewitness | It was like a fireworks display with a fire in the middle of it Richard Mitchell, eyewitness |
| Jo Hyne, who lives about 500m from the factory, said she heard a loud bang which she had thought at first was thunder. | 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 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. | She added that a friend who lived five miles away had had two doors in her house blown off. |
| Another eyewitness, Richard Mitchell, watched the drama unfold from outside a pub in Lewes Road, Ringmer. | Another eyewitness, 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 factory, when the fire broke out. | Claire Freeman, from Ringmer, had been eating in the Wok Inn next door to the factory, 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: |
| 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 |