Firefighters are highlighting the importance of having a working smoke alarm on every level of your home after smoke alarms alerted an elderly woman to a fire in her home today.

Two crews from Basildon Fire Station were called to a house fire in Long Ridings in Basildon at 12:43pm.

On arrival, crews reported that the kitchen was heavily smoke logged after the dishwasher had caught fire.

Crews extinguished the fire by 1:41pm. A woman was treated by the Ambulance Service for smoke inhalation.

Update 11am 5 October

Crews have left the scene in the care of the farmer and will revisit the site throughout the day and evening to ensure the hotspots are cooled.

Update 8am 5 October

One crew remained at the scene overnight to monitor the fire and will remain at the scene throughout today as the fire burns under control.

Update 10pm 4 October

One crew will remain at a time throughout the night to monitor the fire while it burns under control. 

Crews were called to a road traffic collision involving two vehicles. 

On arrival firefighters reported that one man was trapped in his car and worked to release him by 9.20pm. 

The casualty was left in the care of the Ambulance Service. 

Crews were called to a road traffic collision involving two vehicles. 

On arrival firefighters reported that one man was trapped in his car and worked to release him by 9.20pm. 

The casualty was left in the care of the Ambulance Service. 

Crews have issued safety advice after hot embers started a garden fire.

Firefighters were called to Orchard Place, Clacton today at 11.35am and found a fire had spread to three gardens, with trees, hedges and fences alight.

The Clacton crew quickly stopped the fire from spreading to nearby properties, including a large outbuilding.

Crew Manager Andy Anderson said: "The fire was well-developed and spreading quickly in the dry, breezy conditions.

"It was only the hard work from crews that prevented it from causing more damage.

Firefighters were called to a roof fire in Standford-le-Hope earlier today.

The residents were alerted to the fire after their neighbours spotted smoke coming from the roof. The occupants then immediately made their way out of the house and called us.

On arrival, crews reported that the roof of a bungalow was on fire and smoke logged.

Crews extinguished the fire by 4:43pm. The cause of the fire was accidental

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Basildon firefighters rescued a cat that was trapped within a wall in the early hours of this morning.

The curious cat had found a hole and crawled inside but was unable to make its way out.

Crews cut the wall to rescue the cat, which was unharmed and left in the care of its owner by 3:13am.

Update 8pm:

Crews worked throughout the day to create a fire break to allow the fire burn under control and left the scene in the care of the farmer at 7:39pm.

Update 1:30pm:

Firefighters remain at the scene to monitor the bales burning in a controlled burn. One crew has remained at the scene throughout the night and today with a relief crew being brought in every four hours. 

Firefighters have spent the night at a stack fire in Woodham Walter. 

Firefighters were called to a flat fire in Colchester last night after a neighbour heard smoke alarms going off and called the Fire Service.

On arrival, two crews from Colchester reported that the kitchen in a first floor flat was smoke logged.

Crews extinguished the fire by 10:22pm and believe it was caused by cooking left unattended on a hob.

More than half of accidental fires at home are started by cooking - follow our cooking safety advice to stay safe in your kitchen:

Update 3pm:

An investigation into the cause of the fire is on-going.

Update 7:30am

Crews worked throughout the night to monitor hotspots within the roof and first floor and left the scene at 7:09am.

An investigation into the cause of the fire will take place today.

Update 1am:

Crews have almost extinguished the fire and the incident has been scaled down to two fire crews and an Aerial Ladder Platform (ALP). Firefighters will remain at the scene to monitor hotspots.