Bungalow fire
Firefighters were called to a bungalow fire in Turpins Lane, Kirby Cross at 3:58pm.
On arrival, crews reported that the roof of a bungalow was on fire.
Firefighters worked to extinguish the fire in sections by 5:52pm.
Crews believe the fire was caused by embers from a barbecue that caught in the wind and spread to the side of the house.
The bungalow has been left uninhabitable due to the fire and smoke damage throughout.
Watch Manager Gary Clarke from Clacton Fire Station said: “If you’re having a BBQ, bonfire or using a fire pit as the weather warms up, please make sure to properly extinguish any embers before you leave it. You can do this with a bucket of water.
“It only takes a small ember to start a fire and with the sunny weather we’ve had recently, everything has had a chance to dry out and this can help a fire spread.”
Barbecue safety
Every year, we're called to a number of fires that are started by barbecues. Barbecues can be dangerous if not handled responsibly, so it's important to keep safety in mind, especially when used around children and animals.
If you're planning on having a barbecue, follow our advice to help keep everyone safe.
- Set your barbecue up away from the house, sheds and fences
- Keep an eye on your cooking at all times
- If you're using a charcoal or disposable barbecue, allow the embers to completely cool before disposing of them - use a bucket of water speed the process up
Read more barbecue safety advice here.
Could you be an on-call firefighter?
Some of the firefighters from Clacton, Dovercourt and Weeley who attended this incident are on-call firefighters; people who live or work within 5 minutes of their station and are paid to protect their community.
If you live or work within 5 minutes of an on-call fire station, you could be an on-call firefighter too.
Find out more about the role and how to apply at join.essex-fire.gov.uk/on-call.
