Firefighters are highlighting the importance of having smoke alarms after we were called to a kitchen fire by neighbours who heard smoke alarms going off. 

Crews were called to a flat fire in High Barrets, Basildon at 5.15pm on Wednesday. 

The neighbours heard smoke alarms going off and called 999 when they could see smoke coming out of the property. 

When firefighters arrived they found a chip pan on the hob which had caught fire, causing the whole flat to fill with smoke.

Crews were called to a second floor flat after reports of a fire. 

On arrival firefighters were faced with flames coming from a second floor window and reported a room on the second floor was completely alight. 

Other residents began shouting that a man was inside the flat, but as firefighters were close to the door the man appeared and firefighters walked him down the stairs to safety, where they also made sure he was given oxygen to help with smoke inhalation.

Firefighters were called by a number of people reporting a large fire near Rectory Lane in Ramsey, Dovercourt.

When fire crews arrived they reported that the metal built building, which measured approx. 40m x 20m, was alight.

Update 10:20pm | The fire is now out. Fire crews will remain on scene to ensure all remaining hot spots are fully extinguished and the scene is safe.

Update 1am | Crews have now left the scene. An investigation will be carried out to find the cause of the fire.

Update 6am - Friday 31 May

Crews have been working throughout the night to extinguish a fire in an industrial unit in Parkway, Harlow. 

The fire is out and we were in a position to scale the incident down throughout the night from midnight. 

Firefighters worked to extinguish the fire in sections and used an Aerial Ladder Platform to tackle the fire from above.

We currently have one crew on scene monitoring hotspots. 

An investigation into the cause of the fire will take place later today. 

Firefighters extinguished a boat fire in Mayland last night. 

Crews were called to The Esplanade, Mayland just before 8pm to reports of a boat on fire. 

Firefighters worked to extinguish the fire by 9:12pm and believe it was caused accidentally when works were being carried out on the boat earlier in the day.

Watch Manager John Maddocks from Tillingham Fire Station said: “Thank you to the callers for their quick thinking to try to contain the fire. Luckily the boat yard has an old fire appliance for washing down the jetties and ramps. 

Firefighters were called to a Road Traffic Collision on the A130 at Benfleet at 6pm yesterday.

On arrival, three crews reported a coach was on its side across the dual carriageway. While nobody was trapped inside, crews worked to make the scene safe by clearing a large fuel spill. Firefighters worked to clean approximately 300 litres of diesel by 6:45pm.