Cause of Sussex industrial building blaze is confirmed

Firefighters battled the blaze in sweltering temperatures on Saturday (August 8), after receiving more than 80 calls from members of the public.

The industrial building in Beach Road, Newhaven, was evacuated and residents were asked to avoid the area and keep their doors and windows closed.

Plumes of black smoke could be seen billowing into the air from as far as Lancing in West Sussex.

East Sussex Fire & Rescue confirmed this week that the fire is being treated as an accident.

“We have concluded our fire investigation today and it’s believed to have been an accidental fire caused by a defective electrical appliance,” said a spokesman.

At its height, 12 fire engines were sent to tackle the blaze.