Breaking News UK LODD

[SteveDude]

Two Firefighters have been killed and 9 injured in an explosion and fire in a Fireworks Factory in East Sussex (About 50 miles south of London) in the UK.

Sky News (http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-1242796,00.html)

BBC News (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/southern_counties/6204452.stm)

I believe that one was a retained Firefighter (Paid on call) who worked full time as a Fire Control Officer for East Sussex FB, the other was a retired Career Firefighter, 63 years old who was employed as a 'Support Officer'

[RspctFrmCalgary]

Damn :( :( :( :(

My condolences to the East Sussex Fire Brigade and the families of the fallen.

Hopefully the 9 injured firefighters will have all have a speedy recovery and that everyone else stays safe until the end of it.

[ChicagoFF]

I'm sorry for your troubles. A sad start to the holiday season.

[CaptainGonzo]

Rest in peace, Brothers

[2andfrom]

The panic button was pushed this end, until I a few minutes ago--nephew who is career firefighter with Sussex informs me he is OK--not attended this incident.

My deepest sympathy for the families of those who lost their lives --best wishes for a speedy recovery for the injured.

A roller coaster of emotions on this side of the world.

[MIKEYLIKESIT]

I am truly sorry to hear of this. Rest in Peace Brothers.

[dave29]

Damn Rest in Peace Brothers

[NJFFSA16]

Rest in peace...may God give your family strength!

Investigation starts into killer fireworks blaze
LONDON, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Investigators were hunting for
clues on Monday into how a fireworks warehouse in East Sussex
caught fire and exploded, killing two firefighters and injuring
12 other people, including a police sergeant.
Rogue fireworks lit up the sky on Sunday after the explosion
tore through a number of buildings at the premises at Shortgate,
near Lewes, causing widespread damage.
Three people -- two firefighters and a member of the public
-- remain in hospital.
"There is a 200 metre exclusion zone around the site. We
believe there may be some acetylene cylinders involved in the
fire and we need to keep those cylinders cool for 24 hours,"
East Sussex fire chief Des Pritchard told BBC television.
He said emergency services were alerted shortly after
lunchtime on Sunday.
"About an hour after we received the first calls a massive
explosion ripped its way through the site causing significant
devastation to a number of buildings but also tragically
involving quite a number of our of staff, some members of the
public and the police officer," Pritchard said.
He said fire investigators, officials from the health and
safety executive and police scenes of crime officers would
undertake a thorough inquiry.
Witnesses said a series of blasts shook the warehouse as the
fire raged and cascades of fireworks exploded in the night sky
for hours afterwards. About 10 local residents were evacuated
temporarily before being allowed to return to their homes.

[SteveDude]

Taken from the UK Fire Service Forum....

Today is a time of sad reflection for the UK Fire Service, but a fact that will not be lost on many of the members of the UK Fire Service is that yesterday's losses were the ninth and tenth Firefighters to die on duty in the four short years since the spectre of 'Modernisation' within the service raised its ugly head.

10 Deaths in 4 years is a figure that belongs back in the 70's when many more Firefighters were being killed and does not compare well with the reduction in Ff deaths in later years. Yesterday's events and some of the others in recent years were tragedies that were almost impossible for us to avoid. However, 4 others were easily predictable and avoidable with the right sort of investment and training in the service.

The other tragic statistic from yesterday is that now we have seen 5 Retained Firefighters killed in just over 10 years. These people dedicate their time and as we have seen often a great deal more to their community. The pay is not brilliant and the Government has consistently refused to allow them some of the same rights as the rest of us. Less than a third of UK Firefighters are retained, but almost half of those killed in the past 10 years are from that section of the service?

Tragedy in this job comes in many forms.... it will strike its hand indiscriminately among our number. This weekend Major fires have been fought in London, Newcastle and Lincolnshire, Members of the public have been killed by Fires in Scotland and Wales, others are living in fear following multiple arson attacks in Nottingham. All across the Country Fire Crews have turned out to thousands of small medium and large incidents....but they all went home.

In a quiet corner of Rural Sussex, a spark, a fault or something else started a small fire as it did hundreds of other times this weekend. As always when it grew big enough and was discovered the Nations Fire Crews arrived without question to deal with what they faced. At some point, it went horrendously wrong, killing two of our own and injuring nine more. That could have been anyone of us who attended any of the hundreds of incidents dealt with in the UK this weekend. We in the UK are among the busiest, best trained and equipped, most aggressive but amazingly safest Firefighters in the World. But we always need to remember that no matter how good we think we are, how well tried and tested our safe systems of work are, there will always be fires and from time to time they will kill, maime or injure those of us who have to deal with them.... There but for the grace of god go all of us.

I have been touched by the death of colleagues on many levels over the years....as a wide eyed recruit on my first day out of Training watching the events of Kings Cross unfold, as a Firefighter franticly ringing the Station after hearing a couple of Fireman had been killed at a Fire on my Stations ground, as a Senior Officer dealing with the loss of two of 'our own' from within the Borough of which I was part of the management team and like many of you on here like I did yesterday saddened at the loss of colleagues who I never know, but who's loss cuts just as deep, becuase we are all family.

To the members of the East Sussex Fire Brigade, your loss is painful raw and shocking, but it is also our loss, we greive alongside you, take comfort from the fact you are not alone... and should the families request it, Brothers and Sisters from across the UK will be stood shoulder to shoulder with you when you lay your Brothers to rest.

Steve Dudeney.

[DonSmithnotTMD]

A sad series of losses ---- RIP


What do you mean by the spectre of 'Modernisation'? I haven't been following events over there.

[OlieCan]

Rest in peace

[martinm]

I saw the initial reports on the news last night and hoped that the "unconfirmed" reports of firefighters being killed were just that.

This was the first time in ten years that my wife said "be careful" when my pager went off later last night.

My deepest sympathies, condolences and thoughts are with the members of East Sussex FRS and in particular the retained crew at Heathfield.

[MalahatTwo7]

Sounds like you boys are having a rough go of it out there. Stay safe and take care. May those who have passed on rest peacefully knowing the rest of us will carry on what they started.

[FFFRED]

RIP to the Blokes on the other side of the pond.

FTM-PTB