Firefighters are highlighting the importance of having working smoke alarms at home after a neighbour called us to a kitchen fire in Witham today.

Crews were called to Teak Walk, Witham at 2:11pm after a neighbour heard smoke alarms going off and could see smoke. The neighbour acted quickly to call us.

On arrival, crews reported that the kitchen of a house was heavily smoke logged.

Crews extinguished the fire and believe it was caused by an electrical fault in a plug socket.

Firefighters have issued safety advice about e-bike converter kits after a bike caught fire this afternoon in Colchester. 

A man was riding on Woden Avenue in Stanway through when he noticed smoke coming from his bike. 

He quickly pulled over and got off his bike as it caught fire. Although crews arrived quickly in that time one of the battery cells had already exploded and launched itself over 20 metres away. 

Crews extinguished a roof fire at a converted barn in High Easter.

We were called to Barnston Road today (18 June) at 6.06pm and crews from Chelmsford (two), Basildon and Newport attended.

The roof of a single storey property, measuring approximately 20 metres by 10 metres, was about 50% alight.

Watch Manager Mark Curtis said: "The occupant had been using a blow torch to burn leaves. He had finished and gone inside but a stray spark had started a fire in the roof. Thankfully a passer-by saw the smoke a raised the alarm.

Crews have issued safety advice after a fire pit is believed to have set an outbuilding alight in Loughton.

We were called to Roydon Close today at 12.58am and crews from Loughton, Brentwood and Woodford (London Fire Brigade) attended.

The summerhouse was completely alight when crews arrived.

Watch Manager Gary Dyer said: "Fortunately the owner woke up and saw the flames, which were as high as the house.