Fireworks Warehouse

[securespark]

My heart goes out to the families of those lost in this fire.

 

[Thermo]

not that far from my neck of the woods. very sad, i think they were both retired and then re-employed by the fire service.

 

[Moz]

Very Sad Indeed

an we have the fire service leaders trying to cut men on engines an the like ....

 

[Nige F]

one was retired and T`other was a retained .................how much will his Widow get.........compared with the early retirements that have gone on in the profession ......Why do they have to get in so bloody close ..........surely they knew it was a firework factory ..............and Who licenced it there FFS in the first place ...............compare this tragedy with the nonsense and red tape that "health+ safety " puts on less dangerous jobs .........I`m as angry as I am sad for the families

 

[ellal]

it seems the company's previous safety record wasn't that good... Fined

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) spokeswoman said Sussex Fireworks pleaded guilty to contravening the Explosives Act.

It admitted storing fireworks at Upper Lodge Farm, a building adjacent to the explosion site, which was not covered by its licence.

 

[ricicle]

Does anyone know if proper licensed firework storage/manufacturing facilities are required to have sprinkler/nitrogen/CO² systems?

 

[Steve]

Does anyone know if proper licensed firework storage/manufacturing facilities are required to have sprinkler/nitrogen/CO² systems?

shops aren't. In fact, laws were relaxed last year - until then, all firework cabinets in shops had to be locked. Now, only display cabinets have to be locked. Backup storage can simply be pushed closed, no locks provided (as long as public has no access).

They do advise us to keep fire extinguishers and a bucket of water nearby (powder spillages).

However, one would expect there to be laws about mass-scale storage and production of fireworks along the lines you mention ricicle.

 

[WoodYouLike]

It is very sad indeed. Didn't H&S learn anything from Enschede (25.05.2000)? (report in English)

 

[bernardgreen]

Does anyone know if proper licensed firework storage/manufacturing facilities are required to have sprinkler/nitrogen/CO² systems?

They are not much use in putting out fire work and similar fires as the materials produce all the oxygen they need. Solid fuel rockets burn in a vacuum and under water.

Explosives used to be stored in flimsy buildings surrounded by bunds of earth to deflect explosive burns upwards and away from other buildings and the explosives in them. Although the roofs were designed to fragment from an explosion in the building they were built to resist falling burning debris from near by exploded buildings.

Being flimsy the buildings collapsed rapidly, did not contain the increasing burn so it was a free space burn rather than an explosion.

I gather modern storage is in far stronger buildings ( to resist theft and vandalism ) so the ability to free space burn can only happen after the stronger building has been exploded.

Bernard
Sharnbrook