UPDATE SUNDAY 5.45PM

An investigation has concluded the fire was accidental, however the extent of the damage means the exact cause cannot be identified.

The living area and bedroom were destroyed by fire and the roof collapsed, but crews managed to stop the fire spreading to adjoining properties.

The fire was initially reported by a member of the public who saw smoke. There was no sign of a smoke alarm in the flat. 

Firefighters assisted paramedics at the scene of a road traffic collision in Basildon.

Crews from Basildon and Rayleigh Weir were called to Broadmayne today at 4.06pm and found a woman trapped in an overturned car.

They stabilised the vehicle and helped paramedics to treat the casualty before using specialist cutting equipment to free her.

She was left in the care of the Ambulance Service at 4.43pm.

A family has been left temporarily homeless after a loft fire in Thorpe Bay.

Firefighters from Southend and Shoeburyness attended a house in Thorpe Hall Avenue yesterday at 7.45pm.

Crews extinguished a fire in the loft space by 8.25pm. They removed materials from the loft, used a fan to clear the smoke and used a thermal imaging camera to check for hotspots.

Crew Manager Richard Burch said: "The bathroom lights kept on tripping and when one of the occupants checked the loft he noticed smoke.

Firefighters were called by police to assist at the scene of a road traffic collision on the M11 between Harlow and Stansted today at 2.48am.

Crews from Harlow, Loughton, Old Harlow and Stansted attended found a man trapped in a car which was on its roof. The car had left the northbound carriageway and was the other side of temporary concrete barriers.

They used specialist equipment to lift the car and release the man by 3.18am. He was left in the care of the Ambulance Service.

Could you be an on-call firefighter?

Firefighters were called to assist at the scene of a road traffic collision involving one car in Harlow today at 2.28pm.

Two crews from Harlow attended Wayre Street and found a woman in her nineties trapped in a car.

They used specialist equipment stabilise the vehicle, remove the roof and release the woman by 3.46pm. She was left in the care of the medics.

Firefighters were called to a road traffic collision on Cottage Green, Clacton.

On arrival, crews reported that a vehicle had collided with a house and a person was trapped inside the vehicle.

Crews worked to rescue the casualty by 3:42pm and they were left in the care of the Ambulance Service.

Could you be an on-call firefighter?

Firefighters from Weeley are on-call firefighters who live or work within 5 minutes of an on-call fire station.

Firefighters assisted at the scene of a road traffic collision involving two vehicles on the A130 last night.

Crews from Rayleigh Weir, Chelmsford and Wickford were called by Essex Police to the Southend-bound carriageway, close to the Rettendon Turnpike junction, at 10.28pm.

Crews worked with paramedics to remove a man from one of the vehicles and adminster first aid. They left him in the care of the Amulance Service at 11.07pm.

Police have confirmed a man, aged 60, has sadly died following the collision.

Firefighters were called to assist at the scene of a road traffic collision involving two vehicles in Basildon today at 7.51am.

Two crews from Basildon attended the incident, close to the junction with Cranes Farm Road, and found a man trapped in a car.

They used specialist cutting equipment to release him by 8.26am and left him in the care of the Ambulance Service.

Firefighters were called to assist at the scene of a road traffic collision involving two vehicles in Wickford.

Crews from Wickford and Basildon attended the incident in London Road today at 2.27pm.

Working with paramedics, they helped three people out of the vehicles by 3.01pm, including using specialist cutting equipment to free one casualty. They were left in the care of the Ambulance Service.

Could you be an on-call firefighter?

UPDATE 8:20PM

Crews have left the scene and Highways England and Essex Police will continue to work on the carriageway in an effort to open it as soon as possible.

Police say it is unlikely the northbound carriageway will reopen before midnight and the southbound carriageway is unlikely to open before 8am tomorrow.