Twenty firefighters hospitalised after explosion sparked massive blaze that destroyed three fire engines at Essex industrial unit

20 firefighters were taken to hospital after a fire broke out yesterday following an explosion at an industrial facility storing fertilizer in Essex.

More than 100 firefighters intervened in the fire that broke out after the explosion, thought to have come from the industrial facility where the fertilizers were stored, was heard throughout the district.

Three fire trucks and two fire engines were also damaged, according to Rick Hylton, fire chief for the Essex County Fire and Rescue Service.

While the minor injuries of four of the firefighters who were taken to the hospital were treated, the rest were checked for hearing loss.

Mr Hylton said everyone was evacuated and crews would remain at the scene but the fire was extinguished.

He said it was one of the ‘most challenging and complex incidents’ his forces had responded to in years.

He stated that fire crews worked tirelessly from yesterday until this morning in ‘extremely difficult and dangerous conditions’ to prevent the ‘large and rapidly growing’ fire from spreading further.

Neighborhood residents said they heard a loud noise from a farm field just before 18:00 yesterday and were warned by emergency services to keep doors and windows closed.

Aerial footage showed burning buildings and vehicles on Southend Road between East Hanningfield and Rettendon; Dozens of fire trucks and ambulances lined nearby roads.

According to the information obtained, the explosion was heard approximately 15 kilometers away from the fire scene. Some said they heard the explosion in Southend, about 30 minutes away by car.

Another resident reported on social media that a relative’s house was damaged by the intensity of the shock wave.

The first emergency call about the fire was made at around 16.50 yesterday and a major incident was declared about an hour later after the explosion in the fertilizer unit.

When firefighters arrived at the scene, it was understood that a field and industrial units caught fire before the fertilizer inside one of the units exploded.

At a press conference today, Mr Hylton said an investigation into the cause of the fire was ongoing and urged the public not to speculate.

He said: ‘The fire and explosion also destroyed three fire trucks and two police vehicles used to respond to the incident. This highlights the scale and intensity of the conditions our teams face.

‘I would also like to provide updated information about the health status of our firefighters. I can confirm that 20 firefighters were taken to hospital following the incident.

‘Four of these 20 suffered minor injuries and the rest were precautionary assessments, including checks for problems such as hearing loss following the explosion.

‘I am pleased to confirm that all of the firefighters have now been discharged from hospital.’

An explosion shook homes in Essex as a fire broke out at an industrial site on Southend Road, between East Hanningfield and Rettendon.

The fire chief added: ‘The incident is currently under control, but firefighters will remain on scene addressing any remaining hot spots and supporting the transition to the recovery phase.’

‘Firefighters quickly arrived on the scene and were confronted by a large and rapidly developing fire which involved many units and surrounding farmland.

‘At 5.46pm, following an explosion involving manure at one of the industrial units, the Essex County Fire and Rescue Service declared a major incident.

‘We took this decision due to the scale and complexity of the incident, the significant resources required to control the fire safely and the need to coordinate a multi-agency response.’