Firefighters were called to a block of flats on Coleman Street, Southend at 1:02pm when a neighbour heard a smoke alarm sounding.

On arrival, crews gained access to the affected flat which was situated on the eleventh floor. They confirmed that there was a fire in the kitchen and the property was heavily smoke-logged.

The building’s ‘stay in put policy’ was followed, so no other flats were evacuated.

Crews worked hard to extinguish the fire quickly and prevent damage to neighbouring properties.

Firefighters confirmed the fire was out by 1:30pm.

Crews were called to a fire in Colchester last night after reports of smoke emerging from the back of a building in Colne View Retail Park.

Firefighters were called to a fire in a commercial building at 11:08pm, when the smoke alarm sounded and the key-holder discovered evidence of a fire.

On arrival, crews confirmed that the rear of the building was 20% alight and the building was 100% smoke-logged.

Firefighters worked quickly to extinguish the fire and cleared the building of smoke by 12:15am.

Firefighters were called to York Road in North Weald Bassett this afternoon after a tumble dryer caused a fire.

On arrival, crews reported that the ground floor of a house was 100% smoke logged and smoke was filling the rest of the property.

Firefighters wearing Breathing Apparatus entered the house and extinguished a tumble dryer fire by 2:47pm.

A man was given oxygen therapy by firefighters at the scene after suffering smoke inhalation.

The house has been left uninhabitable after an electrical fault in the tumble dryer.

Firefighters were called to a road traffic collision which happened between J29 and J30 of the M25 this evening.

On arrival, firefighters reported that three vehicles were involved in the collision, and one man was trapped in a car.

Crews worked quickly to make the area safe, and then used specialist equipment to release the man from his vehicle, leaving him in the care of the Ambulance Service by 10:51pm

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Crews were called to a flat fire in Heycroft Way, Great Baddow earlier this evening, when a grill caught fire and spread throughout the flat.

Firefighters were called to a fire in a block of flats in Great Baddow at 7:42pm, when the occupant discovered a fire in their home.

On arrival, crews confirmed that there was a fire in the kitchen, which had spread into the studio flat. Other flats in the building were evacuated as a precaution.

Firefighters from Chelmsford and Stansted worked quickly to extinguish the fire by 8:16pm.

Crews were called to a flat in Dudley Close, Grays last night when an immersion heater caused a fire in an airing cupboard.

Firefighters were called to a flat in Grays at 10:51pm, when the the smoke alarm sounded, alerting the occupant to a fire in his home.

On arrival, crews confirmed that there was a small fire, contained within the airing cupboard and the property was smoke full of smoke.

Firefighters from Grays worked quickly to extinguish the fire by 11:42pm.

Firefighters were called to a property in Loughton in the early hours of the morning, after a portable heater caused a bed to catch fire.

Crews were called to Abbess Terrace, Loughton, at 2:11am this morning when a child was woken by a fire in the bed, and alerted their parents.

On arrival, firefighters confirmed the fire had been caused by a portable heater in the bedroom.

Watch Manager at Loughton Fire Station, Marc Lemon, said: “Even on lower settings, portable heaters left too close to flammable objects or materials can catch alight.

Crews rescued a man following a fire in a ground floor flat in Harlow.

Firefighters were called to Rundells today at 12.42pm. A small fire had caused the ground floor flat to fill with smoke and the heat had caused a number of windows to break.

It is believed the fire was caused by discarded smoking materials which ignited.

Crew Manager Daniel Finch said: "The Breathing Apparatus team did a fantastic job in locating the casualty and carrying him out of the property - it undoubtedly saved his life.

Firefighters rescued a horse which was stuck in a ditch.

Crews were called to Marsh Road, Burnham today at 1.35pm after a rider tried to cross a dyke but his horse got trapped.

Station Manager Syd Barrett said: "Three of the horse's legs were trapped and the silt and water was up to its stomach.

"When the Animal Rescue Unit arrived, two firefighters got into the water and set up the lifting equipment.

Firefighters were called to a chimney fire in Wivenhoe last night.

On arrival, crews reported that there was a fire within a chimney of a semi-detached house.

Firefighters used a stirrup pump, chimney rods and water to extinguish the fire while using an Aerial Ladder Platform from Colchester to inspect the chimney and roof. The fire was extinguished by 1:20am.

The fire was contained to the chimney and firefighters worked to prevent any damage to the rest of the property.