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Monday, 4 December 2006, 20:59 GMT
Telling victims' families 'tough'

Smoke and fireworks from the fire at the fireworks factory

The two who died were fire scene photographer and cameraman Brian Wembridge, 63, and retained firefighter Geoff Wicker, 49.

"I know these two people personally," said Chief Fire Officer Des Pritchard. "This hurts me."

He said he offered the families of both men his deepest sympathy.

"These are not faceless members of staff," he said.

At Mr Wembridge's home in Poundfield Road, Crowborough, police said his family was too distressed to talk to reporters about the incident.

'Focus on families'

The fire service flag is at half-mast at East Sussex HQ in Eastbourne.

Mr Pritchard said it was a "very difficult time" for everyone in the service, particularly the firefighters who had to recover their colleagues from the scene of the fire.

"Some of my officers were very traumatised by the event and we are trying to make sure they are properly cared for.

In pictures: Fireworks depot fire

"But our focus is on the two families who lost loved ones.

"We have been in touch this morning and clearly we need to support them at this time," said Mr Pritchard.

Fire Brigades Union (FBU) general secretary Matt Wrack said most of the people who were injured were retained firefighters.

He said: "Death always touches everyone who works in the fire service.

"It may be old-fashioned, but the fire service is like a family and deaths within the fire service are genuinely felt very deeply."

Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly said: "Our thoughts are with the friends and families of those who have died or have been injured following this tragic incident.

"Thankfully events like this are rare, but it serves as a reminder of the huge risks that firefighters face every day in order to protect the rest of us."

'Almighty bang'

The explosion was so big it was heard by people in Uckfield, 12 miles away.

Eye-witnesses reported seeing a mushroom cloud of smoke and explosions of fireworks which sent debris through the air.

John Winter, whose brother owns the depot at Marley Farm, in Shortgate, told BBC News 24 there had been "an almighty bang, and the place shook".

He said his brother and family had managed to get out of the building safely, but their house had burnt down.

Meanwhile, Jason Winter, nephew of the depot's owner, said the family's pets had died.

There was a colossal amount of smoke, and rockets going off Jo Hyne

"They have lost everything, even down to their dog," he said.

"They have lost the house, they have lost garages, offices, all the buildings, they've lost their vehicles, their lorries, they have even lost their guinea pigs."

Jo Hyne, who lives about 500m from the depot, said she heard a loud bang which she thought at first was thunder.

There was "a colossal amount of smoke, and rockets going off", before a much larger explosion that shook her house, she said.

Books of condolence

Another eye-witness, Richard Mitchell, watched the drama unfold from a pub in Lewes Road, Ringmer.

"It was like a firework display with a fire in the middle of it," he said.

Claire Freeman, from Ringmer, had been eating in the Wok Inn next door to the depot when the fire broke out.

She said diners were moved to the car park at the time of the largest explosion.

She told the BBC news website: "Pieces of wood [were] falling, hissing into puddles around us, at which point we left pretty sharpish."

Later on Monday, the East Sussex fire service said it had been "overwhelmed by the messages of kindness, support and empathy" it had received.

Books of condolences were being opened at town halls and fire stations across the county on Tuesday, and a memorial fund set up.