A fire and series of explosions erupted in one of the country’s largest fireworks plants. Nearby houses and local businesses, including a flour mill, had to be evacuated. Several small explosions were spaced over a 15-minute interval, followed by a violent blast causing an abundance of sheet metal projections in the vicinity (container pieces strewn 150 m around). Window panes were shattered up to 10 miles (16 km) away. A total of 8,200 kg of fireworks had reacted, for a TNT equivalent estimated at 200-250 kg, given both of the craters found at the site of one of the eight 6.1-m metal containers placed inside the building (made of a concrete slab and brick walls). Despite intervention difficulties (relative to access and a thick black smoke), 35 fire-fighters were on the scene battling the blaze and several hours later had control over the incident. They found the 13 workers, who were all safe and sound, despite the intensity of the explosions and fire.

An investigation conducted by Britain’s Safety Authorities (HSE Office) revealed that the company’s safety management system was deficient: lack of employee protection, inability to communicate information to the proper authorities regarding explosives-related risks, inappropriate use of buildings (including storage errors, most notably exceeding the quantity authorised inside a building), and the dismantling of fireworks (which was the operation responsible for the accident: a firework returned from a show was poorly disassembled, triggering its ignition). In noncompliance with the guideline that stipulated using a sharp knife and wood cutting board in a dedicated spot, the technician cut the fuses connected to the shells with a pair of scissors inside the storage container itself. The case was to be judged by Exeter Crown Court (date unassigned / sentence not known).