Family of five rescued after fish tank catches fire

Firefighters were called to a fire in Leigh-On-Sea this morning when a passer-by noticed flames in the window of a building on London Road.

On arrival, crews confirmed that an electrical fault had caused a fish tank to catch fire and the room, measuring 5m x 6m, was full of smoke.

Firefighters managed to alert the residents living in the flats above the property - four adults and one child - before helping them to safety. One woman suffered from smoke inhalation and was left in the car of the Ambulance Service.

Crews confirmed the fire was out by 10:40am.

Gas leak

Firefighters worked with Essex Police and Cadent to evacuate around 40 homes in Wickford following a gas leak.

Crews were called to Jacks Close in Wickford at 7:38pm after residents could smell a strong smell of gas from a gas box outside one of the houses.

Firefighters from Wickford Fire Station evacuated residents from around 40 homes while a 200 metre cordon was put in place.

Crews worked to make the scene safe by 8:20pm and left the scene in the care of Cadent.

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Chimney fire

Firefighters have given advice to have chimneys swept at least once a year after a chimney fire in Chelmsford last night.

A crew from Chelmsford was called to Souther Cross Road in Good Easter after residents reported a chimney fire in their home.

On arrival, crews reported that the living room was heavily smoke logged and used a stirrup pump and chimney rods to extinguish the fire by 9:41pm.

Roof fire

Firefighters were called to a roof fire in Leigh-on-Sea earlier today.

Crews were called to Nelson Drive in Leigh-on-Sea after a roof caught fire while work was being carried out on it.

Firefighters worked to remove roof tiles and felt to extinguish the fire by 2:21pm.

Crews gave first aid to a man at the scene who suffered smoke inhalation.

Could you be an on-call firefighter?

Hawkwell’s firefighters are on-call firefighters who all live or work within 5 minutes of an on-call fire station.

Shed fire

Firefighters have issued safety advice after a shed fire in Chelmsford.

Crews were called to reports of a fire in a garden in Galleywood Road today at 10.04am.

They found a shed, measuring 8 metres by 10 metres, completely alight at the end of the 200ft long garden.

Temporary Watch Manager Mark Curtis said: "The occupant had been clearing the garden and burning waste in an incinerator.

Road traffic collision - two women trapped

Firefighters rescued two women following a road traffic collision involving one car in High Ongar.

Crews from Chelmsford and Brentwood were called to The Street, at the junction with the A414, yesterday at 9.21pm and found two woman trapped in a car.

Firefighters gave the casualties first aid and used lifting and cutting equipment to remove the car's roof.

The women, in their sixties, were rescued by 10.23pm. They were left in the care of the Ambulance Service.

Road traffic collision - woman trapped

Firefighters rescued a woman following a road traffic collision in Birch.

Two crews from Colchester were called to Maldon Road today at 6.38am and found a woman trapped in a car following a two-vehicle collision.

Firefighters gave the casualty first aid, used lifting equipment to stabilise the car and removed the roof.

The women, in her thirties, was left in the care of the Ambulance Service at 7.57am.