WITH VIDEO: This is the dramatic moment a burger van exploded after an unsuspecting worker lit up his morning cigarette.

The CCTV footage shows a man smoking in his car outside KD Catering Butchers in Polegate, before flicking ash out of the window.

A split-second later, a nearby trailer suddenly explodes into a fireball sending lethal shards of wood and glass shooting into the sky.

The blast, which caused thousands of pounds worth of damage to nearby vehicles and the KD processing plant, is thought to have been caused by an overnight gas leak.

Factory workers had arrived for work just a few moments earlier - but miraculously no one was hurt.

The trailer - which served burgers, sausages, tea, and coffee from a layby on the nearby A22 - was left a burned out shell.

Kevin Delves, manager of the butchers firm, said a woman was allowed to leave her burger van in his car park each night.

The 51-year-old said: “I had only been at work for half an hour when I heard this huge bang and saw flames.

"The windows were blown out and bits and pieces started falling down from the ceiling. I had no idea what had happened.”

When Mr Delves and some colleagues ran out into the car park, they found a scene of devastation with the smoking ruins of the burger trailer lying next to a still-leaking gas canister.

Mr Delves said: "As soon as I saw the leak and other canisters nearby I turned and got back inside as quickly as possible to dial 999.

“The guy who was sat in the car was a bit shocked to say the least, but he wasn't hurt and that was the main thing.”

Kevin said the cause of the fire is unknown but he believes there was a gas leak in the trailer which was sparked by an electrical appliance switching on.