Fire crews from Rayleigh Weir, Basildon, and Orsett responded swiftly to a fire caused by an electrical fault at a house in Benfleet. Neighbours alerted the emergency services by calling 999 after hearing a smoke alarm, enabling firefighters to extinguish the blaze and prevent it from spreading further.
Neighbourly Action Saves Home
Watch Manager Dave Farrant praised the local residents for their prompt response, saying, “Even if you are not sure there is a fire, we’d always rather be safe than sorry – and in this case we were able to stop a fire from spreading.”
Fire Damage And Safety Advice
Despite the quick response, the kitchen was destroyed, and smoke caused significant damage throughout the rest of the property. Firefighters advised residents to keep internal doors closed when homes are unoccupied to slow smoke spread in case of fire.
Emergency Access Concerns
The crew highlighted that double parking on the street hindered their efforts, urging residents to consider emergency vehicle access when parking to ensure fire services can reach incidents promptly.
