Update 11:30am

We’ve scaled this incident down to six crews and will remain on scene for several hours monitoring the incident.

Crews have been working throughout the morning alongside site staff to significantly reduce the amount of molten glass within a furnace from around 340 tonnes to around 15 tonnes of glass.

We’re also working with the Environment Agency to make sure any polluted water is managed safely.

A road closure is still in place in Edinburgh Way to allow crews to work safely, so please avoid the area if you can.

Assistant Chief Fire Officer James Taylor said: “Crews have worked really hard in partnership with specialists on site who have been amazing to bring this to a swift conclusion. When we first got here at 2am, we thought this incident would go on for several days but due to the efforts of our crews and the support of the on-site staff, this has enabled us to work towards a much much shorter conclusion which we hope will be later this afternoon.

“Edinburgh Way is still closed and will remain closed while we’re at the incident, thanks to local residents and staff for their patience while we deal with this incident.”

Crews are dealing with an incident at a glass making factory in Harlow.

We were called to Edinburgh Way today (Wednesday 4 March) at 2.16am.

A total of 13 appliances, including from Harlow and Old Harlow, along with a water bowser, incident command unit and drone, were in attendance at the height of the incident.

A road closure is in place in Edinburgh Way to allow crews to work safely, so please avoid the area if you can.

Assistant Chief Fire Officer James Taylor said: “Our firefighters are working really hard in incredibly difficult conditions to cool molten glass, which has leaked from a furnace.

“We need to continually change crews because the heat is so intense, which is why so many appliances are at the scene. We hope to scale this back over the next few hours.

“We are working with the site owners to bring the incident to a conclusion as soon as we can. We would ask member of the public to stay away from the area if possible and abide by the road closures to allow our crews to work safely.”