Crews have praised a neighbour who called 999 after hearing a smoke alarm in Basildon today.

We were called to Wells Gardens at 10.43am and crews from Basildon, Rayleigh Weir and Orsett attended.

Watch Manager Marc Kyprianou said: "The neighbour went to investigate after hearing the alarm, saw black smoke coming from the property and called 999.

"Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus entered and found a pan on the hob, which had inadvertently been left on by the occupant who had left the property. 

Crews extinguished a fire affecting an outbuilding in Wethersfield.

We were called to Mumfords Hill today at 6.13pm and crews from Wethersfield and Halstead initially attended.

They found an outbuilding, measuring approximately 10 metres by 8 metres, around 80% alight.

Two further crews, from Braintree and Coggeshall, were requested due to the isolated location and lack of good water supply.

Update Wednesday 30 October 

A fire investigation has found that the fire was started accidentally. The resident accidentally turned on the hob, which caused the items on top to set alight. 

Hob and cooker top tips: 

Firefighters are urging smokers to discard of smoking materials properly after a discarded cigarette caused a fire in a sheltered accommodation this morning. 

Crews from Clacton and Weeley were called to an automatic fire alarm near Regency Lodge, Elmden Court, Clacton.

On arrival smoke could be seen coming out of the windows on the second floor. 

Firefighters rescued a dog called 'Scruff' after she got trapped under a concrete ledge this afternoon. 

Crews were called to Queen Street in Sible Hedingham at 5.57pm to reports that a curious canine had got trapped under a concrete ledge. 

Firefighters worked to free the dog by 6.48pm. 

Group Manager Andy Message said: "Firefighters did a great job to free Scruff quickly. She was returned safely to her owners." 

Firefighters are praising residents for acting quickly when discovering a fire in their loft in Billericay yesterday. 

Crews were called to reports of smoke coming from a roof of a house in Cavell Road, Billericay at 3:27pm. 

On arrival, crews reported there was a fire in the loft and worked to prevent it spreading further into the house and to next door.

The fire was caused by an electrical fault.

Firefighters were called to a kitchen fire in Red Lion Crescent, Harlow at 11:48am. 

On arrival, three crews reported a house was heavily smoke logged and smoke had started to spread to neighbouring properties through the loft. 

Crews worked to extinguish a fire in the kitchen while ventilating neighbouring properties. 

The kitchen has been left heavily fire and smoke damaged. 

Crews believe an electrical fault in an air fryer caused the fire.