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.

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.