Crews extinguish kitchen fire
Crews extinguished a kitchen fire in Halstead.
We were called to Stanley Road today (7 August) at 7.32am and crews from Halstead and Sible Hedingham attended.
They found a well-developed fire in the ground floor kitchen of a mid-terrace house.
Station Manager Lee Hurst said: "The initial crews did a great job of containing the fire and stopping it from spreading to adjoining properties.
"Crews were at the scene into the morning to make sure it was fully extinguished and to check the loft and roof for hotspots."
Crews from Tiptree and Corringham, who were located nearby, also attended the incident.
The cause has been recorded as accidental. It is believed a pile of clothes next to a toaster caught fire when it was inadvertently turned on.
Station Manager Hurst said: "The occupants smelt the smoke and did exactly the right thing; they got out, called 999 and stayed out.
"The incident is a reminder to keep your kitchen worktops clear. It was good to see that the house, and next door's property, had working smoke alarms too."
Do you having working smoke alarms?
Smoke alarms save lives. They can alert your family as well as your neighbours and passers-by to a fire in your home if you're not in.
We recommend you have at least one working smoke alarm on every level of your home and that you test them at least once a month.
If you or someone you know doesn’t have working smoke alarms at home, please get in touch. Visit essex-fire.gov.uk/book or call 0300 303 0088.
Could you be an on-call firefighter?
Firefighters from Halstead, Sible Hedingham, Tiptree and Corringham who attended this incident are on-call firefighters. They all live or work within 5 minutes of an on-call fire station and are paid to protect their community.
If you live or work within 5 minutes of an on-call fire station, you could be an on-call firefighter. Find out more about the role and how to apply here.
