LESSONS have not been learned despite the Marlie Farm tragedy, a union boss has claimed.

Dave Green of the Fire Brigades Union warned there were still the same concerns arising from firefighter deaths around the country while substantial cuts to the service staff added to the risk.

The union’s national officer also said the union had never seen the level of obstruction to compensating victims of a fire tragedy from any other fire service in the country.

The Argus revealed yesterday that victims of the huge fire only received their full £510,000 compensation from the service within the last six months because of a series of legal appeals.

Firefighters Geoff Wicker, 49, and Brian Wembridge, 63, were killed by the huge blaze that broke out at the headquarters of Festival Fireworks in Shortgate near Uckfield on December 3, 2006.

Thirteen other emergency services personnel were injured and £824,000 of fire service vehicles destroyed.

In December 2009 Lewes Crown Court found two Festival Fireworks directors guilty of manslaughter with Martin Winter receiving a seven-year jail term and his son Nathan five, later reduced to four years on appeal.

The High Court ruled more than three years ago that the deaths were preventable and the families were entitled to compensation but fire service legal appeals delayed the process for a further two years.

Mr Green said: “We are absolutely appalled by the way the fire service dealt with it.

“The brigade were obstructive at all stages, they showed a complete lack of compassion and understanding and they didn’t want to accept any responsibility for what happened.

“The fact that nearly ten years after the event people have finally got some kind of closure speaks volumes for the kind of people we were dealing with.

“To delay it that long is unprecedented.”

In 2011, a report revealed a catalogue of failings surrounding the operation with 66 recommendations for improvements in safety, specialist training, sharing of key information and changes to the law surrounding fireworks sites.

East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service said it has been pro-actively working with other organisations to help prevent similar tragedies happening in the future

But Mr Green said failings highlighted in the aftermath of Marlie Farm were also raised this year at the inquest of Greater Manchester firefighter Stephen Hunt following his death in July 2013.

A coroner ruled a lack of communication at handovers and briefings and a breakdown in radio communication were factors in Mr Hunt’s death.

Mr Green said: “The same issues being raised at Marlie Farm are being raised again.

“We know the lessons that need to be learned but I don’t think that they are.”