Glass bottles in garden cause fire

Firefighters were called to a garden fire in Baddow Road, Chelmsford at 12:51pm. 

On arrival, two crews from Chelmsford reported a garden fire was affecting two sheds, a number of fence panels and the outside of a house. 

Firefighters worked to prevent the fire spreading and extinguished it by 1:38pm. 

Crews believe the fire was caused when glass bottles in the garden heated up in the sun. 

Two sheds and a number of fence panels were badly damaged and the exterior of a house was damaged. 

Watch Manager Mark Curtis from Chelmsford Fire Station said: “We believe the sunlight had been reflecting on glass bottles in the garden which heated up and with the fire picking up so quickly in the wind, it spread quickly.

“We’d recommend moving any glass items in your garden out of direct sunlight and if you’re out and about with any glass bottles, please take them home with you if you can’t find a bin. In hot and dry weather, it only takes an ember to start a fire that can spread quickly.”