The Health and Safety Executive has been criticised for lifting a ban on the storage of fireworks at a site where two firefighters died in an explosion.

Lesley Wembridge, whose husband Brian was killed, spoke publicly for the first time, saying: "It is very frustrating news especially while the police investigation is continuing."

The Fire Brigades Union and neighbours fear the company is about to start trading from the site again before safety rules have been tightened to prevent a repeat disaster.

They also believe the decision, less than a year after the fatal blaze, is insensitive to the families of those who died.

Lewes MP Norman Baker is backing the firefighters' union and said he hoped the investigation would lead to better safety rules.

Fire support officer Brian Wembridge, 63, and retained firefighter Geoff Wicker, 49, were killed when fireworks exploded as fire crews were tackling a blaze at Festival Fireworks UK last December.

Twelve other people, including nine firefighters, a policeman and two members of the public, were injured at the site at Marlie Farm in Shortgate near Lewes.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) imposed a prohibition notice on the site and a spokeswoman confirmed that had now been lifted after a visit by inspectors.

She said: "Inspectors were satisfied they (the company) had complied with requirements listed on the prohibition notice."

She said she could not specify what those requirements were, but new storage warehouses and wooden huts can now be seen on the site alongside charred remains of old buildings.

And a notice on the main gate said Festival Fireworks had applied to Lewes District Council for planning permission for a workshop to become temporary retail space for the sale of fireworks.

Philip Morley, a manager with Festival Fireworks, said the lifting of the ban was an HSE ruling and they were merely abiding by it.

He said: "We are happy with that decision because of who they are - they do not do anything they think is dangerous or illegal.

"They think we are competent to have a licence."

Asked if the timing was insensitive, Mr Morley said: "Loss of life is a great tragedy no matter when it happens but business is business and life must go on.

"Once again, it is the HSE's decision."

Mr Morley said the company hoped the site would be up and running again in the new year.

But the Fire Brigades Union, which has called for a public inquiry into the disaster, said safety rules governing the transportation and storage of fireworks had not been tightened.

Jim Parrott, South East region secretary for the Fire Brigades Union, was 100 yards away from the fireworks blaze and survived.

He said: "The union is very concerned that rules have not changed since last year's disaster. We are worried a similar tragedy could happen again.

"We had hoped the HSE would not lift its prohibition order on Marlie Farm until these issues had been addressed."

One issue concerned the quantity of fireworks stored. Two months before the explosion, the HSE ordered that 200 kilograms of fireworks kept in one building should be reduced to 100m kilograms.

In 1999, Festival Fireworks owner Martin Winter was fined £1,000 for storing fireworks in an unlicensed building.

Neighbours close to the site were also unhappy with the HSE decision.

Safety concerns about the site were expressed in a letter to the HSE a year before the explosion by Gene Robinson who runs a holiday caravan park adjacent to Festival Fireworks.

One of the 28 caravans on his site was destroyed and others were damaged as fireworks and debris rained down on the night of the fire.

He said: "It was like a war zone and it took six policemen to carry off one large sheet of metal that landed on my site. One neighbour whose home was damage has only just been able to move back in.

"We are all still worried about our safety and nothing has been done to reassure us. The council should refuse their application. We also feel for the families of those killed - this is so dreadfully insensitive to them."

Another neighbour Joan Grant said: "The families of the firefighters must be gutted - it looks as if they lost their lives for nothing."

Inquests into the deaths have been opened and adjourned and Sussex Police confirmed their investigation into the fire was continuing.

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