A smoke alarm alerted occupants to a house fire in Southend.

We were called to Central Avenue yesterday (Saturday) at 6.57pm and crews from Southend and Leigh attended.

A remote control car battery left on charge had started a fire in a bedroom.

Watch Manager Dan Hart said: "Thick black smoke was coming out of a window when we arrived.

"Thankfully the occupants did exactly the right thing when they realised there was a fire: they got out, stayed out and called 999.

Firefighters were called to a property in Chadwell St. Mary this morning, after a mum discovered a fire in her kitchen.

Crews were called to Hill House Drive at 11:39am.

On arrival, firefighters confirmed there was a fire in the kitchen, caused by a pan of oil which had overheated.

Crews worked to extinguish the fire by 12:07pm, and cleared the flat of smoke.

Firefighters were called to a lorry fire on the M11 Southbound between Junctions 7-6, Harlow at 7:38pm.

On arrival, crews reported that the front of the lorry was on fire and heavily smoke logged.

Crews worked to prevent the fire from spreading to the container and extinguished the fire by 8:19pm.

During the incident, a large amount of fuel spilled onto the road.

The M11 Southbound between Junctions 7-6 will be closed for several hours while the spillage is cleared. Please avoid the area.

Firefighters were called to a fire in a flight simulator in Clacton this afternoon.

Crews have been based at the Clacton Airshow in case of an emergency and were called to a fire in Marine Parade, Clacton at 2:05pm.

On arrival, crews reported that a flight simulator was on fire.

Firefighters evacuated the area and put a 20 metre cordon in place with help from police and Tendring council colleagues.

Crews extinguished the fire by 2:22pm.

Firefighters are currently dismantling the simulator to ensure all hotspots are fully extinguished.

Crews tackled a bungalow fire in Nazeing this evening and managed to stop it from spreading to nearby properties.

We were called to reports of a fire in Epping Road today at 5.48pm.

Crews from Harlow, Loughton, Waltham Abbey, Epping, Cheshunt and Bishop's Stortford attended, along with the Incident Command Unit from Witham.

Station Manager Dave Bond said: "Crews were faced with a well-developed fire affecting a bungalow and adjoining outbuilding, which was close to a number of other properties.

Firefighters rescued a deer after its antlers got trapped in a barbed wire fence.

A crew from Stansted came to the aid of the stricken stag in Henham Road, Elsenham after our Control team were called yesterday (Sunday) at 12.10pm.

They restrained the deer and used tools to cut the wire - and it appeared to be unscathed, as it ran off as soon as it was released.

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Update 10.30pm

Our crew have now left the scene and handed over to the Highways Agency.

Update 6:30pm

We have one crew remaining at the scene monitoring hotspots on the lorry while it is being recovered.

Update 2pm:

We’ve scaled this incident down to one crew who will remain at the scene monitoring hotspots and making the scene safe.

We expect remain on scene for several hours.

Update: 11:25am

UPDATED 9PM (WEDNESDAY 31 AUGUST)

The fire was extinguished at 7.30pm. Crews are still at the scene dampening down.

A revisit will take place in the morning.

The cause has been recorded as accidental.

Crews have surrounded a fire affecting 12 acres (5 hectares) of grass and woodland in Tollesbury.

We were called to reports of a fire in the open at Old Hall Marshes today at 10.30am.

Firefighters rescued a horse after it got trapped in a ditch.

We received a call yesterday (Sunday) at 8pm after a horse, measuring 16.2 hands (5.3ft) and weighing about 430kg (67 stone), had slipped off a bridge between two fields and was trapped in water.  

The horse had suffered cuts to back legs but was still standing and was calm.

Crews from Dovercourt and our Animal Rescue Unit from Chelmsford attended. Working with the horse's owner and a vet, they were able to cut back vegetation and help the horse to safety by 11.01pm.

Firefighters are highlighting the importance of having working smoke alarms after neighbours called us about a fire in Vange when they heard alarms going off.

Crews were called to Ryedene Place, Vange at 9:42am to reports of alarms going off.

On arrival, crews reported that a kitchen in ground floor flat was on fire.

Crews extinguished the fire by 10:40am and believe it was caused when the hob was accidentally left on with a box on top.