Fire crews tackle blaze near hospital in Harwich
A ward had to be briefly evacuated
Firefighters were called to reports of a fire near to Fryatt Hospital in Harwich on Saturday night.
Control teams received several calls from members of the public who noticed the smoke.
Crews reported on arrival that the fire, which was burning in the grass area between the hospital premises and nearby Grange Road, was spreading quickly.
One ward at Fryatt Hospital was evacuated briefly by hospital staff as a precaution, but the fire and smoke did not reach the premises and no-one was affected.
The cause of this fire is unknown, but Essex Fire Service say they're not treating it as suspicious at this time.
Karen Nicoll, Station Manager, said: "Our crews have done really well here tonight to get this fire under control. When we arrived, it was already spreading very quickly and could so easily have been more serious.
"Thankfully, no-one was harmed. Members of the local community have once again been absolutely fantastic, too - offering our firefighters drinks and support is really kind and is something we genuinely appreciate. As always, we're doing everything we can to keep you safe - thank you for your co-operation and patience."
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