Crews respond to deliberate fire in town house
Firefighters were called to a three-storey town house in Colchester after a neighbour heard a smoke alarm sounding and dialled 999.
As it was initially unclear whether anyone was inside, firefighters treated the incident as a potential rescue.
On arrival, crews quickly carried out a thorough search of the house and confirmed it was empty.
The fire, located in a third-floor bedroom, was swiftly surrounded and extinguished by crews. The third floor has sustained both fire and smoke damage.
The cause of the fire has been recorded as deliberate.
Watch Manager Scott Maclean said:
“This incident is a reminder of just how important working smoke alarms are.
"They alerted the neighbour to something being wrong, allowing them to call 999 and get help on the way quickly.
"Whether you’re at home or not, a working smoke alarm can make all the difference - it’s your first warning sign of fire and gives you and those nearby valuable time to act."
Do you have working smoke alarms at home?
Smoke alarms save lives. They can alert your family as well as your neighbours and passers by to a fire in your home if you're not in.
We recommend you have at least one working smoke alarm on every level of your home and that you test them at least once a month.
If you or someone you know doesn’t have working smoke alarms at home, please get in touch with our Service. Visit essex-fire.gov.uk/book or call 0300 303 0088.
