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EXPLOSIONS from a major overnight fire were heard in Eastbourne, as a large blaze tore through agricultural buildings in East Hoathly.
Residents across the town reported hearing loud bangs and seeing an orange glow in the sky late on Tuesday night (May 5), as the fire ripped through barns in Ailies Lane, several miles away.
Crews from East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service were called to the scene at 11.54pm, initially sending four fire engines.
However, the incident rapidly escalated. By 12.26am, six appliances were in attendance after more than 60 emergency calls were made by members of the public reporting the blaze.
Firefighters used ground monitors to pump high volumes of water onto the flames as the fire spread across the agricultural site.
At 12.39pm, crews were forced to withdraw to a 200-metre exclusion zone after cylinders on site began exploding, significantly increasing the danger. An Incident Command Unit was brought in to coordinate operations.
By 2.45pm, fire crews confirmed that three barns had been extensively destroyed, with much of the damage caused by the cylinder explosions.
The fire was later left as a controlled burn, with one crew remaining at the scene overnight to monitor conditions from outside the safety cordon. The response has since been scaled back to four appliances.
The cause of the fire is not yet known and will be investigated once the site is safe to access.
Residents in Eastbourne and surrounding areas may continue to see smoke as crews deal with remaining hotspots.
