Blaze destroys warehouse at St Leonards industrial estate

Up to 40 firefighters from across Sussex spent several hours tackling the inferno at the warehouse in Moorhurst Road on the Castleham Industrial Estate after arriving on scene at around 9.30pm.

The fire was put out by midnight but crews were still checking for remaining flames on Wednesday morning to ensure the blaze was completely out.

Crew manager Derek Morley said: "Six fire appliances were used to tackle the fire and there were still flames the next morning.

"We as yet do not know what started the fire and an investigation is ongoing."

The warehouse, owned by Clearfast, contained 20 tonnes of cardboard, and was completely destroyed by the flames, as well as suffering significant structural damage.

The inferno also destroyed an Iveco lorry.

Station commander Paul Evans said: "There was substantial damage to the building.

"But the crews' quick actions stopped it spreading to the adjoining industrial unit, including Judges Postcards."

Firefighters were initially called in after receiving reports that a smoke alarm had gone off at one of the adjacent industrial units.

Clearfast, a waste disposal and recycling company, which also specialises in collecting commercial wheelie bin waste, said it was not treating the fire as suspicious.

No one was injured in the blaze.

Clearfast stores cardboard in the St Leonards warehouse before moving it on to recycling centres across the South East to be processed.

Fire investigators spent most of Wednesday examining the remains of the steel-framed building.