Stray firework causes fire on New Years Day

It's as ECFRS Control room dealt with 50 calls from 11pm on New Years Eve until 2am on January 1st

Author: Ellie CloutePublished 2nd Jan 2024

Firefighters in Essex believe a stray firework caused a fire in bushes and outbuildings in South Woodham Ferrers in the early hours of New Years Day (January 1).

Crews from Essex County Fire and Rescue Service were called at 12:12am yesterday, after reports of bushes on fire in Leeward Road.

When crews from Basildon, Wickford and Rayleigh Weir arrived it was found that the fire had spread to two outbuildings; a shed and a garage.

They remained on the scene after it was extinguished at around 1:30am, to dampen down hotspots.

ECFRS say their Control team took over 50 calls during three hours that evening - from 11pm on New Years Eve, until 2am on New Years Day.

Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app.