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| Lakes fireworks blast: Two dead were technicians | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Two people who died in a fireworks explosion in Cumbria on Saturday were technicians preparing for a wedding party display, the fire brigade said. | |
| The bodies of the man and woman were found in a shed where the stored fireworks went up in flames. | The bodies of the man and woman were found in a shed where the stored fireworks went up in flames. |
| An evening display was to be staged at a house in Ecclerigg near Windermere following a wedding earlier in the week. | An evening display was to be staged at a house in Ecclerigg near Windermere following a wedding earlier in the week. |
| Witnesses heard a loud bang at 15:15 BST, followed by smaller explosions. | Witnesses heard a loud bang at 15:15 BST, followed by smaller explosions. |
| The fire spread to a neighbouring shed and parked vehicle. | The fire spread to a neighbouring shed and parked vehicle. |
| 'Like the Blitz' | 'Like the Blitz' |
| Inquiries into the cause of the explosion are under way. | Inquiries into the cause of the explosion are under way. |
| The fire brigade said the man was a self-employed experienced fireworks technician and the woman was his assistant. | |
| The formal identification of the bodies is expected to take several days. | The formal identification of the bodies is expected to take several days. |
| About 70 people had gathered to celebrate the wedding of local insurance boss John Simpson and his partner Nicole Rothwell. | About 70 people had gathered to celebrate the wedding of local insurance boss John Simpson and his partner Nicole Rothwell. |
| Enid Battersby, who lives opposite the cottage, said: "It was very frightening. It was an enormous explosion, which I had not heard anything like since the Blitz in Manchester. | Enid Battersby, who lives opposite the cottage, said: "It was very frightening. It was an enormous explosion, which I had not heard anything like since the Blitz in Manchester. |
| "There was this one big sound followed by further smaller bangs and pops and a cloud of smoke then drifted over as all the police cars and fire engines arrived." | "There was this one big sound followed by further smaller bangs and pops and a cloud of smoke then drifted over as all the police cars and fire engines arrived." |
| 'Something disastrous' | 'Something disastrous' |
| Tourist Anthony Middleton, from Stockport, was at the nearby Brockhole Visitor Centre with his family. | Tourist Anthony Middleton, from Stockport, was at the nearby Brockhole Visitor Centre with his family. |
| He told BBC Cumbria that as well as flames and smoke, they saw fireworks shooting into the sky. | He told BBC Cumbria that as well as flames and smoke, they saw fireworks shooting into the sky. |
| He said: "The ground was shaking. We looked up and saw exhibition fireworks illuminating the daytime sky. | He said: "The ground was shaking. We looked up and saw exhibition fireworks illuminating the daytime sky. |
| "Explosions were going off all the time, we could see the fireworks coming out from behind the trees. | "Explosions were going off all the time, we could see the fireworks coming out from behind the trees. |
| "We realised something disastrous was taking place. I could almost feel the heat of the fire." | "We realised something disastrous was taking place. I could almost feel the heat of the fire." |