Update 11pm 

Firefighters have now left the scene after monitoring hotspots this evening.

An investigation was carried out and the cause of the fire was undetermined.

Update 6pm 

At 6pm, we scaled the incident down to one crew who will remain overnight working to make the building structurally safe.

Update 3pm 

The fire is now out and we’re in a position to scale the incident down to four crews and one Aerial Ladder platform. 

Crews have been praised after extinguishing a fire at a community hall.

We were called to Gorse Lane, Clacton today at 1.12am after a residents spotted a fire at Burrsville Public Hall.

Crews from Clacton (two) and Weeley attended and extinguished the fire by 2.30am.

Station Manager Nick Singleton said: "We believe the fire started in the shed / decking area and spread to the community hall.

"Unfortunately, the roof, doors and windows are badly damaged and our hearts go out to everyone who uses the hall.

Crews extinguished a maisonette fire in Witham.

We were called to a two-storey property in Blackthorn Road on Thursday (28 March) at 10.36pm by a neighbour.

Crews from Chelmsford (two), Colchester (two), Great Baddow, Maldon and an Aerial Ladder Platform from Grays attended. 

The first crew arrived in six minutes and found a well-developed fire affecting both floors.

Sadly a man died at the scene.

UPDATE 5PM (Wednesday 27 March)

An investigation into the cause of the fire was carried out throughout the day. The cause was found to be accidental.

UPDATE: 7.45AM (Wednesday 27 March)

Crews will remain at the scene this morning to continue to dampen down and extinguish hotspots.

Group Manager Dan Partridge said: "We are meeting at the site with the building owner and other partners this morning to plan how we will hand the scene over later today.

Crews have issued safety advice after embers caused a fire at a property in Langdon Hills.

We were called to a fire in Old Church Hill on Saturday at 10.08pm and two crews from Basildon attended.

Firefighters found a fire affecting the porch area of a property.  

Watch Manager Rob Fossett said: "The occupant had a fire during the day and left the embers on the ground to let them cool before putting them in a wheelie bin, next to the property. Unfortunately they had not fully cooled and reignited, setting fire to the porch.

Crews fitted smoke alarms in two homes in Copford after extinguishing chimney fires.

We were called to a semi-detached bungalow in Rectory Road yesterday (Sunday) at 9.18pm.

Firefighters from Colchester extinguished the fire, using chimney rods, and fitted a smoke alarm after finding the property did not have one.

One their way back to the station, at 10.13pm, they spotted a chimney fire at a semi-detached house in London Road.

Firefighters were called to the scene of a fire on the 8th floor of a high rise building in Chichester Road, Southend. 

Five crews have extinguished a fire in a communal area on the 8th floor. Firefighters are currently working to investigate the cause of the fire.