Firefighters are highlighting the importance of having working smoke alarms after neighbours raised the alarm to a house fire in Brightlingsea today. 

Crews were called to a house fire in Windsor Court, Brightlingsea at 3:08pm after neighbours heard smoke alarms going off.

On arrival, crews reported that a semi-detached house was on fire. Firefighters entered the smoke filled house wearing Breathing Apparatus to tackle the fire. 

Crews worked to prevent the fire spreading to next door and extinguished it by 4:18pm. 

Firefighters were called to a fire in a derelict building in Fronks Road, Dovercourt last night. 

On arrival, crews reported that a large detached building was on fire with the fire spreading rapidly throughout. 

Four crews worked throughout the night using an Aerial Ladder Platform to tackle the fire in sections.

Firefighters worked to extinguish the fire by 5:45am. 

Two crews currently remain on scene monitoring hotspots. 

Firefighters were called to a fire in a detached garage in Bannister Green, Wickford.

On arrival, crews reported that a detached garage was on fire and had lithium-ion batteries inside. 

Crews worked to surround the fire and quickly extinguished it. 

Firefighters then worked to cool the batteries and make the scene safe. 

The garage was badly damaged in the fire and crews worked to make it structurally safe by 8:30pm. 

The cause of the fire was accidental, believed to be an electrical fault.

Firefighters were called to Timberlog Close, Basildon, at 6.56am this today, after reports of a road traffic collision. 

On arrival firefighters reported that an HGV was on its side and the driver was trapped. 

Firefighters gained access through the windscreen and released the driver within 25 minutes and left them in the care of the Ambulance Service. 

Firefighters were called to a deliberate fire in a derelict building in Crouch Street, Colchester last night. 

On arrival, crews reported that there was a fire inside a derelict building.

Crews from Colchester used an Aerial Ladder Platform with colleagues from Weeley and West Mersea tackling the fire from inside the building. Crews extinguished the fire, which was affecting about a quarter of the building, by 8.24pm.

Firefighters believe this fire was started deliberately.

UPDATED 8.25AM (Thursday 20 July)

Firefighters remained at the scene overnight and are continuing to let the haystack burn under control. One crew is in attendance.

UPDATED 10.20PM (Wednesday 19 July)

Crews are continuing to deal with a large haystack fire.

The fire has been surrounded and a farmer has created firebreaks.

Two crews are likely to remain at the scene overnight until the fire is completely extinguished.

UPDATE 11PM

The field fire has been extinguished but four crews remain at the scene dealing with the fire affecting the combine harvester.

Group Manager Craig McLellan said: "Crews did a fantastic job of surrounding the fire so quickly and stopping it from spreading.

"The fire affected about 10 acres of crops so they had to work incredibly hard to extinguish it. I'd like to thank the farmer for assistance too.

"Due to the rural location, crews have set up a water relay to extinguish the fire affecting the combine harvester." 

Firefighters were called to a fire near Colchester Road, Mount Bures today (Monday 17 July).

Crews at the scene reported that the fire, which started in a timber built outbuilding, had spread to a neighbouring thatched house. The outbuilding was completely destroyed by the fire.