Firefighters are expected to remain at the scene of a major industrial fire throughout the night after a blaze involving hundreds of tyres sent thick black smoke drifting across parts of Essex. Essex County Fire and Rescue Service was called to an industrial unit in Drakes Lane, Little Waltham, near Chelmsford, following dozens of emergency calls from members of the public. The smoke plume was so significant that it was reported to be visible from as far away as Witham and Braintree.
Crews Remain at Scene Overnight
At the height of the incident, nine fire crews were deployed to tackle the blaze. By 10pm, the response had been scaled back to four crews, who remained at the scene surrounding the fire and cooling the area to prevent it spreading into neighbouring fields. Station Manager Lee Hurst said firefighters expected to remain at the incident throughout the night. He said:
“We expect to be here throughout the night and the scene is likely to produce lots of smoke throughout due to the fire involving tyres.
“Please continue to keep your windows and doors closed if you live nearby.”
He also thanked local residents for their support during the incident.
“We’d like to thank the local residents who have been really accommodating throughout this incident, offering cold drinks, space on their drive and access to water to help us get this fire under control.”
Thick Black Smoke
Earlier in the evening, firefighters confirmed the blaze involved a large quantity of tyres stored inside the industrial building, resulting in large volumes of dense black smoke. Station Manager Nick Singleton said:
“The fire will continue to produce lots of thick black smoke for some time due to the amount of tyres involved in the fire.
“If you live nearby and can smell smoke, please keep your windows and doors closed.
“Please continue to avoid the area while we deal with this incident. At the moment Drakes Lane is closed.”
Public Urged to Avoid Area
Essex County Fire and Rescue Service said it received dozens of emergency calls reporting the blaze and thanked members of the public for alerting the service. Motorists and residents are being urged to avoid Drakes Lane while emergency services continue working at the scene. Road closures remain in place and nearby residents are advised to keep windows and doors closed until the smoke has dispersed. The cause of the fire has not yet been confirmed. Investigations are expected to take place once the scene has been made safe.
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