Firework factory blaze to receive ‘full’ inquiry (From The Argus)

Firework factory blaze to receive ‘full’ inquiry

7:48am Thursday 14th December 2006 in

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The investigation into the Ringmer fireworks factory explosion which claimed the lives of two firefighters will be "full, thorough and transparent", the Government has promised.

The blaze at the Festival Fireworks depot at Shortgate, near Ringmer, on December 3, killed Geoffrey Wicker and Brian Wembridge and injured nine other firefighters, a police officer and two members of the public.

It is believed the investigation, being led by the police, fire service and the Health and Safety Executive, could take up to two years to complete.

This week the Government minister responsible for fire services, Angela Smith, pledged to visit the scene and said the investigation would be "full, thorough, and transparent."

She said: "The purpose of any investigation is to find out what exactly happened and to learn from the results."

During a late-night Commons debate secured by Lewes MP Norman Baker, Ms Smith said the focus of the investigation would be "to establish the cause and all the events leading up to the fire and the reported explosion, and to establish all the circumstances leading up to the deaths of Mr Wembridge and Mr Wicker and the injury of others".

Colleagues of the firefighters are still being offered counselling to come to terms with the blaze, which Norman Baker described as "the worst tragedy of its kind in living memory in East Sussex".

Meanwhile, businesses near the devastated factory say their trade is still being affected following the explosion. They depend upon a wide catchment area and say even the normally busy main road to Lewes is carrying much less traffic.

Simon Tse is owner of the Wok Inn restaurant and had to evacuate Sunday lunch customers when windows and the ceiling were blown in. He said: "When the explosion happened it felt like a bomb going off and it left the restaurant badly damaged.

"We worked very hard to clean the place up and reopened on Saturday, but bookings have been slow. There are police roadblocks at the end of the road so our customers have to ask to be let through. I think it is putting people off.

"The police are doing an important job and we wouldn't want to jeopardise that but we want to assure people the area is safe and the restaurant is open."

Steve Costick, of Chandlers Building Supplies, said: "For people coming in from Lewes it is not really a problem but if they are coming from Heathfield direction there is a long diversion. We've noticed a small dip in trade"