Firefighters to continue tackling industrial units blaze into weekend

Firefighters will continue tackling a large industrial unit blaze in Essex into the weekend after a major incident was declared and residents were evacuated.

Fire crews were called to the blaze on Southend Road, between East Hanningfield and Rettendon, at 4.50pm on Friday, according to Essex County Fire and Rescue Service’s website.

A number of industrial units and a field caught alight, and while fire crews were on scene fertiliser inside one of the units exploded – which people across the county reported hearing and seeing, area manager Dave Bond said.

Nearby residents have been evacuated while the fire is being extinguished and everyone at the scene is safe, he added.

About 100 firefighters worked to tackle the fire, and some are expected to be at the scene overnight.

Mr Bond said in a video update at 10.45pm: “We’re still at the scene of a significant fire in East Hanningfield.

“As you can see behind me, we’re still dealing with significant spots of fire. However, we do have this incident under control and surrounded.

“We’re in the process of scaling back, but we do still have 50 firefighters on scene. We’re still working closely with our partners, including police, ambulance, utility companies, and we also have a number of specialist advisers on scene, giving us support as we move through the night.

“The incident will be ongoing into the weekend, so please stay away from the area and allow us to continue operations. We apologise for any inconvenience this caused, and we thank you for your patience.

“The advice we’re still giving to the public is that if you do smell smoke, then close your doors and windows. But please bear with us as we continue our operations to extinguish the fire.”

A spokesman for East of England Ambulance Service said it had declared a critical incident and its hazardous area response team was in attendance.

Smoke plumes could be seen billowing in the sky in photos and videos posted online, while some locals have said they heard explosions.

Published: 25/07/2026 by Radio NewsHub