Firefighters have issued safety advice after they attended a property following a fire caused by a faulty battery.

Crews from Braintree and Halstead were called to a property in Hawkwood Road, Sible Hedingham this morning to carry out an inspection, after a battery was left charging overnight and caused a fire.

On arrival, Firefighters reported that there was damage in the kitchen, where the battery had exploded. Crews conducted a full investigation, to make sure the fire was completely out and could not re-ignite.

Crews have issued safety advice after an electric scooter caught fire in a communal area of a four-storey block of flats.

Firefighters were called to Dads Woods, Harlow today at 8.05am.

A resident had found an e-scooter on fire and called 999 before taking the scooter outside. Firefighters made sure the fire was completely extinguished, using buckets of water.

Watch Manager Ross Daynes said: "This incident shows the dangers of keeping your e-scooter inside. 

Firefighters were called to a road traffic collision on the M25 at Waltham Abbey between junctions 26 and 27.

On arrival, crews reported that a van and a lorry had collided and a man was trapped in his vehicle.

Firefighters rescued the man by 5:53am and he was left in the care of the Ambulance Service.

Could you be an on-call firefighter?

Firefighters from Waltham Abbey Fire Station are on-call firefighters, who all live or work within 5 minutes of an on-call fire station and attend incidents.

Firefighters have given safety advice after an outdoor plug socket caught fire in a garden in Colchester yesterday.

Crews were called to a house in Redwood Close in Colchester at 5:14pm and found a fire in the garden.

Crews extinguished the fire by 5:36pm.

Firefighters believe the fire was caused by an outdoor socket that had been affected by water.

Update 4pm

An investigation into the cause of the fire found it started accidentally.      

 Firefighters rescued a man during a bungalow fire in Basildon last night.

We received a call from a neighbour who had seen smoke and heard smoke alarms going off at the bungalow.

Crews have issued safety advice after an unattended candle caused a bedroom fire.

The occupants were alerted by a smoke alarm to the fire, at the house in Holly Road, Stanway, today at 4.08pm.

The fire was out when firefighters arrived. They made sure it was fully extinguished and issued safety advice.

Watch Manager Gary Clarke said: "The candle set fire to a pillow, spread to an extension lead and caused smoke and fire damage to the rest of the bedroom.

"The incident shows the importance of never leaving candles and tea lights unattended.

Crews rescued three men and extinguished a house fire in Grays.

Firefighters were called to Seabrooke Rise today at 4.25am after neighbours saw smoke coming from a property.

A man, who was suffering from smoke inhalation, was trying to get out of the first floor maisonette when crews arrived, but two men were still trapped in a bedroom. 

Control Officers were on the phone to one of the men throughout; giving him life-saving advice, reassuring him that crews were on the way and helping to direct firefighters to their location. 

Firefighters have issued advice to residents after we were called to two separate chimney fires last night – one in Little Bardfield and another in Asheldham. 

Fortunately, both fires were extinguished quickly and nobody was harmed.

The latest statistics show that there are approximately 7,000 chimney fires a year in England, but most of these can be prevented.

Experienced firefighter, Nick Singleton, said: "To keep yourself and your family safe from fire you should have your chimney swept regularly – at least once a year.

Firefighters rescued a man following a road traffic collision on the A120 near Marks Tey.

Crews were called today at 2.57pm and on arrival reported a man was trapped in his car.

Firefighters used specialist cutting equipment to free him by 3.45pm and he was left in the care of the Ambulance Service.

Crews also contained a diesel spill and stopped it entering a drain.

Could you be an on-call firefighter?

Firefighters have given safety advice about what to do if you have an oil fire following a chip pan fire in Wickford last night.

Crews were called to a kitchen fire in Jersey Gardens, Wickford at 9:42pm.

On arrival, crews reported that a chip pan was on fire and had spread to the kitchen curtains.

Crews extinguished the fire by 10:22pm.

A man was left in the care of the Ambulance Service after suffering smoke inhalation.

Firefighters from Basildon Fire Station fitted two smoke alarms at the property as there were no working smoke alarms inside.