A Harvester restaurant near Colchester has been severely damaged after a major fire broke out overnight.
Essex County Fire and Rescue Service was called to London Road in Stanway at 12.50am on Thursday, October 15, where crews found a rapidly developing blaze.
Additional firefighters were requested to tackle the fire from both ground level and above as crews worked to stop the flames spreading to neighbouring buildings.
Incident Commander Jeremy Tuckwell said firefighters had worked to contain the blaze in sections, but confirmed the restaurant had suffered severe fire damage.
Road closures remained in place around London Road during the morning, with motorists urged to avoid the area. The nearby Sainsbury’s on Western Approach remained open as normal.
Fire crews were expected to remain at the scene for some time while the incident was brought fully under control.
An investigation into the cause of the blaze will begin once the building is considered safe to enter.
