A ban on the storing of fireworks at a Sussex depot which had been in place following an explosion which killed two fire service workers in December 2006, has this month been lifted. This is despite ongoing police investigations into the incident, in which a warehouse fire sent fireworks shooting into the air and caused a huge mushroom cloud that could be seen for miles.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) stated that Festival Fireworks UK Ltd had complied with a range of measures which were a requirement of a prohibition notice served on them at the time. A subsequent HSE inspection has provided evidence that they have met the necessary criteria to have their licence reinstated.
The licence the company held to store and sell fireworks had always remained, and they have welcomed the easing of the prohibition by the HSE, but said there was no possibility of restoring operations any time in the near future. As we reported in the October 2007 Monthly Bulletin, Festival Fireworks have submitted a planning application to rebuild the destroyed site, which will see five buildings erected, including one store for fireworks and a salesroom.
