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.

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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Crews tackled a fire affecting two industrial units, four vehicles, a container and a caravan.

We were called to Oak Lane, Billericay today (Monday 29 August) just after 4am.

Our Control teams sent crews from Basildon, Wickford, Rayleigh and Brentwood. They found an industrial unit completely alight and the fire had spread to surrounding structures.

Crews worked hard to extinguish the fire by 5.34am.

An investigation will be carried out to establish the cause.

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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 were called to a field fire in Aythorpe Roding this afternoon.

On arrival, crews reported that two hectares of stubble was on fire.

Crews worked to extinguish the fire by 2:40pm and believe it was caused by bonfire embers.

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Firefighters attending this incident are on-call firefighters, who live or work within 5 minutes of their station and are paid to protect their community. 

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.

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

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.

Firefighters have continued working hard across the county today. Here are few more, although please note this is not a full list.

Incident Number: 175943

Large Fire in the Open

New Kiln Road, Colchester

Time of call: 12:01 14/08/2022

Attendance: 2 x Colchester, 1 x Clacton, 1 x West Mersea

PHOTOS: Firefighters worked quickly to stop a fire in the open from spreading to homes in Hillyfields, Colchester today.

Crews were called at 12.01pm to 200 metres of grass alight which had spread to hedges and eight gardens.