Firefighters are advising residents to take care when charging batteries after an overheated battery caused a shed fire in Colchester early this morning.

Two crews from Colchester were called to Halstead Road in Colchester at 2:41am.

On arrival, firefighters reported that a large shed was 100% alight and the smoke was beginning to affect the house.

Crews extinguished the fire by 3:28am and believe the fire was caused by a battery that had overheated while charging.

Firefighters were called to the scene of a fire affecting a house and adjacent garage in Writtle, near Chelmsford, on Saturday afternoon.

On arrival, crews reported that the building, which is two storeys and measures roughly 10 metres by 7 metres, was around 50% alight.

To allow crews to tackle the fire from above, the officer in charge called for the support of an aerial ladder platform.

By 5.20pm, the fire had been contained to the garage area of the property.

Firefighters have issued safety advice after rescuing three dogs from a kitchen fire in Colchester on Sunday evening.

Neighbours of the property, which is detached and measures roughly 10 metres by 6 metres, noticed smoke coming from the building and immediately called 999.

When crews arrived, they reported that the kitchen of the property was completely alight - no-one was home at the time.

Three dogs - one dobermann and two spaniels - were rescued and fortunately are unharmed.

Firefighters have issued safety advice following a kitchen fire at a flat in Kenway, Southend, this afternoon.

Crews from Southend and Shoebury were called at 3.16pm after a quick thinking neighbour raised the alarm.

They arrived to find the kitchen in a ground floor flat full of smoke after a pan had been left cooking on the hob while the occupants had popped out.

Watch Manager Dan Trendell said: “Luckily there was minimal damage but this could have been a lot worse.

Firefighters have praised the quick reactions of a take away store owner who followed all the correct procedures after a chip pan caught fire.

Crews were called to a premises in the High Road, South Benfleet, at 11.14am today.

A chip pan had caught fire but major damage was averted thanks to the owner who isolated the heat supply, used an extinguisher and evacuated the premises quickly.

Around 30 firefighters attended a fire at a former care home in Connaught Avenue, Frinton-on-Sea this evening.

Crews were called to the single-storey building at 4.48pm and found a fire in the roof. There were concerns there may have been people inside following reports from local residents but our firefighters searched the building and found it to be empty. Around 40 percent of the 30 metre by 10 metre building has been destroyed.

Crews attended a fire in a disused industrial building in Thames Road, Canvey, during the early hours of this morning.

We were called at 2.30am and found a five metre by 10 metre detached building well alight.

Firefighters contained the fire, before using the aerial ladder platform to expose any hotspots in the roof.

The incident was finished at 5.30am and an investigation into the cause will be carried out.

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Our on-call firefighters today saved two homes from being destroyed after a shed fire spread to two buildings.

Crews from Wethersfield, Dunmow and Braintree were called to Bendlowes Road in Great Bardfield at 12.23pm today after members of the public reported seeing plumes of smoke from as far as the A120.

Two sheds, which each housed 400 litre heating oil tanks, were on fire, with the heat from the blaze causing the two bungalows they belonged to, to catch fire as well.

Incident Update @17:45

Our crews left the scene at 3.24pm and the road has reopened. 

Firefighters have been working through the night following a fire at a property in Cressing Road, Braintree. Three crews remain on scene this morning dampening down. Cressing Road is closed between Coggeshall Road and Trotters Field because of the incident so motorists are asked to find alternative routes.

Crews have attended a field fire in Great Burstead, Billericay today. Firefighters were called at 11:31am following calls from the public that a hay field that had recently been cut was on fire.

The fire covered an area of around 200 square metres. Crews used beaters and an off road vehicle to extinguish it and quickly managed to stop it spreading to a neighbouring barley field, a nearby school and industrial area.

It was out by 12.40pm.