Fireworks explosion - huge cost to fire brigade

THE 'catastrophic' blaze and explosion at a fireworks factory at Shortgate, near Ringmer, which claimed the lives of two firefighters, will cost the East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service millions of pounds.

During the explosion at the factory on December 2, nine fire engines, an aerial ladder engine, a water carrier, an incident control unit and nine cars were written off, together with thousands of pounds worth of specialist computer equipment on board the vehicles.

At a meeting in Eastbourne, members of the fire authority heard the cost of replacing them was more than 3.8 million.

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Insurer Zurich was prepared to refund 1.5 million after ruling that the vehicles would have to be scrapped - leaving a shortfall of 2.3 million for the authority to pick up.

This includes 320,000 to purchase more up-to-date models.

The fire service is finding most of the cash from its reserves and strict budgeting.

But council tax payers will have to bear some of the cost.

The authority has agreed a 4.9 per cent increase in its share of council tax, up six per cent to compensate for the losses in the explosion.

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