Firefighters are praising the quick thinking of a 9-year-old boy who raised the alarm to a flat fire in Maldon today.

Crews were called to a flat fire in Lincoln Way, Maldon at 9:09am after the boy saw smoke coming from the windows and heard smoke alarms. He rushed home and told his parents to dial 999. 

On arrival, crews reported that a ground floor flat was heavily smoke logged and the smoke alarms were going off. 

Crews wearing breathing apparatus entered the flat and found a fire in the kitchen. 

Firefighters were called to a house fire in Downey Close, Basildon at 9:34pm last night. 

On arrival, crews reported the house was heavily smoke logged with a fire on the ground floor. 

Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus entered the house to extinguish a fire in a fuse board and worked to prevent it spreading to the house next door. 

Firefighters extinguished the fire by 10:38pm. 

The house was left uninhabitable due to the smoke damage. 

Firefighters rescued Malteaser, a 1-year-old dog in Clacton earlier today. 

The playful pooch had been following his nose when he strayed into bushes and brambles and couldn’t get back out. 

Firefighters cut away at the bushes to get to Malteaser and safely reunited him with his owner. 

Watch Manger Gary Clarke from Clacton Fire Station said: “Crews did an excellent job making their way through the brambles and hedges to safely rescue Malteaser. He came to no harm and we were able to reunite him with his happy owners.”

If you use candles at home, please keep them away from anything they can catch alight like curtains, blankets, bedding etc.

Earlier today, a home was left uninhabitable after the wind caused a lit candle to catch a curtain alight and the fire and smoke spread throughout the house. 

The occupants were in the room at the time and acted quickly to get out of the house, stay out and call 999. 

Firefighters were called to Dickinson Road, Colchester at 10:23am. 

Update 8pm 

Crews have just left the scene of a large fire at an industrial unit in Progress Road, Eastwood after more than 36 hours of firefighting.

Throughout yesterday from the first call at 7:15am, we had ten crews, two aerial ladder platforms, a water bowser and our drone team working to extinguish the fire.

The incident slowly scaled down from 2:30pm as crews made progress to extinguish the fire in sections. 

Firefighters were called to a house boat on fire in Colchester last night (Thursday 25 May).

Crews reported that the boat, which is believed to be unoccupied, was fully alight.

Crews extinguished the fire by 10pm.

Firefighters believe the fire was started deliberately. If you know how this fire started, you can report it to FireStopper's, 100% anonymously. FireStopper's is a completely independent charity, who are 100% anonymous, 100% of the time."

Two flats have been completely destroyed after a serious fire in Buckhurst Hill yesterday (Sunday 21 May).

Firefighters were alerted by neighbours to a fire in the garden and was spread into the property which consisted of four flats (two ground floor and two first floor).

UPDATE 5PM (Monday 22 May)

It has been concluded that the cause of the fire is unknown.

UPDATE 10.30AM (Monday 22 May)

Firefighters have finished extinguishing the fire, and a fire investigation will now take place to find the cause of the fire.

UPDATE 8.15AM (Monday 22 May)

Crews remain at the scene this morning.

The Aerial Ladder Platforms are no longer required but firefighters continue to monitor hotspots.

A fire investigation will be carried out when it is safe to do so.

Crews have praised two children who raised the alarm after a kitchen fire in Thundersley.

We were called to a detached house in Grasmere Road today at 1.35pm and crews from Basildon and Canvey attended.

Watch Manager Rob Fossett said: "A fire had started in the kitchen and caused a lot of smoke. However, the homeowners had removed the smoke alarms while they were redecorating.

"Fortunately, the two children at the property smelt the smoke and alerted their mum who got the family to safety and called 999.

Crews have extinguished a house fire in Takeley.

We were called to a detached house in Dunmow Road today at 2.43am and crews from Stansted, Newport, Harlow and Bishop's Stortford (Hertfordshire) attended.

We were also supported by Stansted Airport Fire Service's High Reach Extendable Turret appliance. 

Station Manager Terry Maher said: "The owners were alerted to the fire by their dogs barking in the early hours of this morning.

"The fire started in an outbuilding at the rear of the property and quickly spread to the roof of the house.