Firefighters are urging residents to keep a close eye when cooking with oil after a kitchen fire in Stanway today. 

Two crews from Colchester were called to Wren Close, Stanway at 2pm. 

On arrival, crews reported the kitchen was heavily smoke logged and worked to extinguish a fire within an extractor fan. 

The cause of the fire was oil in a pan that had overheated. 

Firefighters fitted new smoke alarms at the scene after one of the smoke alarms on the ground floor failed to activate. 

Firefighters rescued Emily, a four-year-old Great Dane, from mud flats in Maldon today after she jumped off a boat in the river. 

Crews were called to The Hythe, Maldon at 10:17am today where Emily was stuck in the mud and struggling to get out.

Firefighters worked to safely rescue her and hand her back to her owner.

Firefighters are highlighting the importance of having smoke alarms after we were called to a kitchen fire by neighbours who heard smoke alarms going off. 

Crews were called to a flat fire in High Barrets, Basildon at 5.15pm on Wednesday. 

The neighbours heard smoke alarms going off and called 999 when they could see smoke coming out of the property. 

When firefighters arrived they found a chip pan on the hob which had caught fire, causing the whole flat to fill with smoke.

Crews were called to a second floor flat after reports of a fire. 

On arrival firefighters were faced with flames coming from a second floor window and reported a room on the second floor was completely alight. 

Other residents began shouting that a man was inside the flat, but as firefighters were close to the door the man appeared and firefighters walked him down the stairs to safety, where they also made sure he was given oxygen to help with smoke inhalation.

Firefighters were called by a number of people reporting a large fire near Rectory Lane in Ramsey, Dovercourt.

When fire crews arrived they reported that the metal built building, which measured approx. 40m x 20m, was alight.

Update 10:20pm | The fire is now out. Fire crews will remain on scene to ensure all remaining hot spots are fully extinguished and the scene is safe.

Update 1am | Crews have now left the scene. An investigation will be carried out to find the cause of the fire.