House fire

Firefighters were called to a fire in a terraced house Witham this evening (Tuesday 13 June).

When fire crews arrived they reported the fire was affecting the whole house, including the roof space.

Update 9pm | Firefighters are working hard to extinguish the fire and are monitoring the neighbouring properties to check for heat/fire spread. Firefighters are using an aerial ladder platform (ALP) to pour water on the fire from above.

Update 10:20pm | Firefighters have the fire under control. The initial fire crews will return to their fire stations shortly and be replaced with two new fire crews who will continue to extinguish hot spots and ensure the whole property is fully cooled.

An investigation will be carried out to find the cause of the fire.

Update 4pm, 14 June

An investigation into the cause of the fire was carried out today. The cause of the fire was found to be accidental, caused by an electrical fault. 

To help prevent electrical fires in your home:

• Make sure all plugs and wires are in a good condition, replace any frayed or damaged cables or leads 
• Use sockets and extension leads safely. Plugging too many electrical appliances into one socket can lead to overheating
• Only use one adaptor per socket. Don’t plug one adaptor into another and try to keep to one plug per socket
• Don’t leave items on charge or plugged in overnight or while you are out of the house
• Use your appliances while you are home and avoid running them on overnight

Read more electrical safety advice here.