A significant industrial blaze in Essex on Friday afternoon resulted in 20 firefighters being taken to hospital and the destruction of three fire engines following a fertiliser explosion. The incident, declared a major incident, prompted evacuations of nearby residents.
Essex Industrial Fire Details
The large and rapidly developing blaze occurred on Friday evening at an industrial unit located on Southend Road, between East Hanningfield and Rettendon. Emergency services were first alerted to the inferno at 4:50 pm, with flames engulfing several industrial units and an adjacent field.
Rick Hylton, chief fire officer/chief executive at Essex County Fire and Rescue Service, provided an update on Saturday. He confirmed that the intensity of the fire, caused by a fertiliser explosion within one of the units while crews were present, destroyed three fire engines and two officer cars responding to the scene.
Firefighter Response and Health
Area manager Dave Bond stated that approximately 100 firefighters were initially deployed to tackle the extensive fire. As the situation evolved, dozens were expected to remain on site into Saturday.
Of the 20 firefighters who attended hospital, four sustained minor injuries. The remaining 16 were assessed as a precaution, including checks for hearing issues related to the explosion. All firefighters have since been discharged from hospital.
Ongoing Operations and Public Advice
Firefighting operations were set to continue into the weekend. Mr. Bond urged the public to stay away from the affected area to allow emergency crews to continue their work unimpeded.
During a video update on Friday night, Mr. Bond indicated that while scaling back operations, approximately 50 firefighters remained on scene. They were working collaboratively with partners including police, ambulance services, and specialist advisers.
