Overview
- The blaze at agricultural buildings in East Hoathly, which began late Tuesday, destroyed three barns and sent explosions echoing across Sussex.
- East Sussex Fire and Rescue first sent four crews at 11:54pm, then escalated to six appliances after more than 60 calls from the public.
- Exploding gas cylinders forced firefighters to withdraw and led to a 200‑metre exclusion zone to keep people safe.
- An Incident Command Unit coordinated the overnight response as residents were told to avoid the area and keep windows closed because of smoke.
- By Wednesday morning, cylinders had cooled, crews were damping down hot spots, and officials said there were no injuries.