Firefighters are urging people to make sure they have working smoke alarms after a couple's lives were saved by theirs.

Crews were called to a detached two-storey house in Basildon during the early hours of this morning after the homeowners called 999 to report a large fire on the ground floor of their home. Thankfully their smoke alarms had woken them up. 

As crews made their way to the house a neighbour used a ladder to rescue the couple and their dog from an upstairs window. 

Essex County Fire and Rescue Service is reminding residents to keep their hob clear as soon as they have finished cooking, following a fire in Southend-on-Sea last night.

Crews were called to a kitchen fire in Eastern Avenue, just after 10pm.

On arrival firefighters were faced with thick black smoke coming from the property. They reported that the fire was contained to the kitchen but the rest of the property was heavily smoke logged. Firefighters quickly surrounded the fire and extinguished it and then cleared the rest of the house of smoke. 

Crews were called to a pub in Horndon on the Hill this afternoon after reports of a fire in a kitchen. 

On arrival firefighters reported the kitchen fire had quickly spread up the extractor fan and internally through vents, meaning the above floors and roof were also affected. 

Firefighters quickly surrounded the fire to bring it under control. 

At 3.40pm the Incident Commander, Station Manager Russ Freeman, confirmed the fire was under control and crews were working to fully extinguish further hotspots.

Station Manager Freeman said:

Five flats have been left with smoke damage following a fire outside. 

Crews were called to Witchards, Basildon, after reports that a fire was rapidly spreading and smoke was entering a building.

On arrival firefighters reported that three people, including a young child, had been rescued by ladder by a member of the public and four still needed assistance with exiting their homes. 

Firefighters quickly worked to lead the other trapped residents to safety while other firefighters began to tackle the fire outside. 

Crews were called to a first floor flat after reports of a fire in the kitchen. 

On arrival firefighters reported an air fryer had caught alight and there was a small fire in the kitchen. 

Crews quickly extinguished the fire and ventilated the room. 

Watch Manager Jon Allen, Harlow Fire Station, said:

"When the resident realised the air fryer had caught alight he did the right thing by unplugging it and then getting out, staying out and calling 999.

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.