Firefighters were called to a kitchen fire in Clacton in the early hours of this morning after a dog had managed to turn the hob on, causing a kitchen fire.

The residents were woken up by their smoke alarms and got out of the house, stayed out and called the Fire Service out.

On arrival, crews reported that a pan on top of the hob had caught fire and worked to put it out by 4:39am. The top of the hob suffered some fire damage.

Firefighters had a purfect job last night rescuing a cat in Harlow after it had been stuck on a balcony for almost 18 hours.

Crews were called to rescue the curious cat that had ventured onto the balcony and could not get back down.

Using a ladder, firefighters were able to reach the cat, called Tiddles, and bring it back to safety.

Firefighters rescued a casualty who was trapped following a road traffic collision in Waltham Abbey.

Crews were called to reports of an incident involving one vehicle on Woodridden Hill today at 8.16am.

Firefighters worked to release the casualty by 9.05am and left them in the care of the Ambulance Service.

Could you be an on-call firefighter in Waltham Abbey?

Crews have issued safety advice after a candle caused a house fire in Loughton.

Firefighters from Loughton and Waltham Abbey were called to a detached home in Connaught Avenue today at 12.07am.

A candle which had been thrown out of a first floor window set fire to decking and the fire spread to the kitchen. 

A fire service spokesperson said: "A candle had set light to net curtains in a bedroom. The occupant panicked and threw the candle out of the window and, very unluckily, it set fire to cushions on garden furniture. 

Firefighters rescued a woman who was trapped in her car in Great Leighs this morning after using the what3words app to find her.

Police colleagues at the scene used the app to direct two crews from Chelmsford to the scene where a woman was trapped in her car.

Crews rescued the woman by 9:23am and she was left in the care of the Ambulance Service.

what3words is a free smartphone app that helps you easily and accurately describe your location.

On-call firefighters from Canvey Island were called to rescue a panicked puppy that was trapped in a reclining chair earlier today.

The curious canine had crawled underneath the leg rest and was trapped in the chair mechanism.

Firefighters were able to take the chair apart to free the puppy by 12:09pm. While it was shaken and trembling, the puppy was unharmed and was left in the care of its owner.

Could you be an on-call firefighter?

Canvey Island Fire Station is recruiting on-call firefighters.

Crews extinguished a fire caused by a faulty fridge...and rescued a cat.

Grays firefighters were called to reports of a kitchen fire at a house in Elm Terrace, West Thurrock today at 11.45am.

The property was full of smoke when they arrived but the occupants were safely outside. Crews extinguished the fire and used a fan to clear the smoke by 12.16pm.

Crew Manager Adam Powell said: "The house was 100% smoke-logged when we arrived and crews did a really good job of quickly extinguishing the fire and limiting the fire damage to the kitchen.

Crews have extinguished a fire involving a lorry and its load of granulated coal on the M25.

Firefighters were called to the clockwise side of the motorway, just before Junction 30 (A13), and found an articulated lorry completely alight.

The lorry had shed its load, about 20 tons of granulated coal, of which about 10% was also alight.

Crews extinguished the fire by 1.50pm and left the scene in the care of the police and Highways England.

The road is likely to be closed for most of the afternoon for clean-up and recovery.

Firefighters were called to the scene of a fire affecting the roof of a thatched cottage.

On arrival crews confirmed that around 50% of the cottage's roof, which measures roughly 5 metres by 10 metres, was alight.

The incident commander called for the support of an aerial ladder platform to allow firefighters to spray water onto the fire from height.

Due to the remote location of the incident a water bowser - a special appliance which carries a large amount of water - was also called to help provide a consistent water supply.

Firefighters have issued a safety message to students and high-rise building residents after a fire in a communal area of a student flat. 

Crews were called to the third-floor flat after a chip pan was left unattended and caught alight. 

The building's evacuation policy was immediately implemented, although there were reports that not everyone left the building. 

Incident Commander Dan Partridge, Colchester Fire Station, said: