Three barns destroyed in East Sussex fire after cylinders explode
Emergency crews were forced to withdraw and set up a 200-metre exclusion zone as the blaze spread overnigh
Last updated 6th May 2026
Three agricultural barns have been destroyed in a major fire in East Sussex after exploding cylinders forced firefighters to withdraw from the scene.
East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service was called to the blaze in Ailies Lane, East Hoathly, shortly before midnight on Tuesday.
A 200-metre exclusion zone was put in place after cylinders exploded during the incident, prompting crews to move back for safety reasons.
Fire control received more than 60 calls from members of the public as the fire spread across the rural area.
The number of fire engines at the scene increased from four to six as firefighters used high-volume water monitors to tackle the blaze.
The fire service said everyone had been accounted for and the incident was later scaled back to four appliances, with one crew remaining overnight to monitor a controlled burn.