Crews have issued safety advice after a chip pan fire in Westcliff.

Firefighters from Leigh and Southend attended reports of a kitchen fire in a ground floor flat in London Road last night at 11.11pm.

Temporary Crew Manager Grant Jones said: "One of the occupants put a pan of oil on the hob and went back to play a video game.

"The other occupant woke up and smelt the smoke. When they noticed the fire, they did the right thing - they got out, stayed out and called 999."

Firefighters rescued a person who was trapped in their vehicle following a road traffic collision in Marks Tey this afternoon.

On arrival, crews reported that two vehicles had collided and a person was trapped inside one of the vehicles.

Firefighters rescued the casualty by 1:11pm and they were left in the care of the Ambulance Service.

Firefighters have been working throughout the night to extinguish a large fire in Little Canfield.

Crews were called just before 1am to an outbuilding fire that had spread to two lorries.

Due to a poor water supply in the area, crews from Leaden Roding, Thaxted and Halstead were called to assist with Halstead’s Water Bowser.

The outbuilding - measuring approximately 25 metres by 10 metres - was 100% alight and firefighters worked to move other vehicles to prevent them from being affected.

Firefighters rescued a 21-year-old horse from a ditch in Elmstead earlier today. 

On arrival, crews reported that a large horse was laying down in a ditch full of water unable to get up. 

Crews reassured the horse alongside a vet and worked with a local farmer to lift the horse out of the ditch and back onto her feet by 3:56pm.

She trotted off happily with her owners after being left in the care of the vet.

Firefighters have highlighted the importance of having working smoke alarms after smoke alarms alerted a man to a fire in his kitchen earlier today.

Crews were called to a kitchen fire in a ground floor flat in Brentwood and on arrival found the flat heavily smoke logged. 

Firefighters extinguished the fire by 8pm and believe it started accidentally when cooking on the hob ignited. 

A man has been rendered homeless due to the smoke damage in his home and was given oxygen therapy at the scene by firefighters. 

Witham firefighters rescued two people from their vehicle following a road traffic collision this morning. 

On arrival, crews reported that two vehicles had collided and two people were trapped in one of the vehicles. 

Firefighters worked to rescue the two casualties by 6:25am and they were left in the care of the Ambulance Service. 

Could you be an on-call firefighter?

Firefighters were called to a road traffic collision on the A12 at Witham earlier today. 

On arrival, crews reported that two vehicles had collided and one person was trapped inside their vehicle. 

Crews rescued the person by 5:56pm and they were left in the care of the Ambulance Service.

Could you be an on-call firefighter?

Firefighters rescued a woman and two children following a road traffic collision on the A130 today.

Crews from Rayleigh Weir, Hawkwell and Leigh attended the southbound carriageway, close to the junction with the A127, at 12.24pm.

A woman and two children were trapped in a car on its roof in a ditch. They were all conscious and breathing.

Firefighters used specialist cutting equipment to release the casualties by 1.52pm and left them in the care of the Ambulance Service.

Could you be an on-call firefighter?

Firefighters rescued a horse from a river in Coggeshall this afternoon after it had become stuck.

The mare, which is 24 years old, had been stuck in water that was up to its tail for several hours when firefighters were called to assist.

Firefighters led the animal upstream and created a safe pathway out of the water, using specialist equipment including an Animal Rescue Unit.

The horse was back onto dry land by 5.38pm. Fortunately, the animal was unharmed and was left in the care of a vet.

On-call firefighters from Wethersfield, Braintree and Witham were called to an outbuilding fire in Bardfield earlier today. 

On arrival, crews reported that the roof of an outbuilding - measuring approximately 10 metres by 8 metres - was on fire. 

Crews worked together to shuttle water as the water pressure in the area was low and extinguished the fire by 11:22am. 

Firefighters remained on scene to strip the roof back to ensure all hotspots were cooled. 

The cause of the fire was accidental due to an electrical fault.