Major fire in Harwich

Update 21 June 17:15pm

An investigation has been unable to determine the cause of the fire.

Station Manager Lee Hurst, Fire Investigation Officer, said: "We have done everything we can and put in so much effort to get to the bottom of it.

"Unfortunately, because the fire was so intense and due to the damage caused to the buildings, it has been impossible to come to a definitive conclusion.  

"It was a prolonged investigation due to safety issues so I'd like to thank Essex Police and Tendring District Council for their support and the community for their patience. 

"I'd also like to thank crews who have worked incredibly hard to move debris and assist the investigation."

Crews finished firefighting operations on Friday (17 June) at 5.30pm, having been at the scene since Tuesday morning.

Update 15 June 10:20am

Firefighters remained in Church Street overnight. A crew from Weeley and an Aerial Ladder Platform from Colchester are currently at the scene and are damping down several hotspots.

An investigation to establish the cause of the fire is also underway.

We have been working closely with our partners, including Tendring District Council whose statement you can read here.

Update 14 June 3:30pm

Incident Commander, Craig McLellan, said "Crews have worked incredibly hard in difficult conditions throughout the day. While two buldings have sadly been destroyed, we're pleased to report that nobody was injured as a result of the fire.

"Firefighters will remain at the scene for the rest of the day and into the night. We're doing everything we can to minimise the impact on the local area but due to the nature of the incident and some of the risks that we've identified the road will remain closed for now.

"We'd like to thank the public for their patience and understanding while we continue to make the scene safe."

Update 14 June 2:30pm

Firefighters from across Essex worked together with two crews from Ipswich to extinguish the fire and clear the smoke by 1:54pm.

Gas and electric have been isolated at the affected properties. Two families have sadly been left homeless as a result of the fire and two further properties have been damaged.

A relief crew of six fire engines has now taken over and will remain at the scene to monitor the situation and keep everyone safe.

A fire investigation will be carried out to determine the cause of the fire.

We’re currently at the scene of a major fire on Church Street in Harwich.

On arrival, crews confirmed that a three-storey pub was alight and the fire had spread to two neighbouring properties.

This incident is on-going. Firefighters are making good progress to limit the spread and contain the fire.

Incident Commander, Craig McLellan, said “The affected properties have seen extensive damage but our crews are working hard to minimise any further damage.

“I’d like to thank Essex Police, East of England Ambulance Service and Tendring District Council who are all on-site to assist with the incident this morning.”

We expect disruption to continue for several hours while we continue to extinguish the fire.

We’re asking the public to avoid the area, and reminding those living locally to keep their windows and doors closed.

Further updates will be provided as soon as we're able to.