CREWS from Essex Fire that worked to stop a fire from spreading to another building have been given top praise.

Two teams from Braintree and Great Baddow managed to stop a fire from getting worse through spreading to a thatched building in Rayne on Sunday, May 1.

Firefighters were called to The Street at 8.54pm, and found a fire in a two metre by four metre storeroom in the back of a function room at the rear of the premises.

The crews worked swiftly to contain the fire to the storeroom and stop it from spreading further.

Watch Manager Paul Speller from Great Baddow said: “Braintree were on scene first and thanks to the swift actions of Crew Manager Paul Mayes and his team, they stopped the fire spreading to a nearby building which had a thatched roof.

"Fortunately the damage was contained to the storeroom, with smoke damage to the function room but it could have been a very different story.”

The fire was extinguished by 9.52pm, and the cause has been subsequently recorded as accidental.

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Following the incident, Essex Fire are also highlighting the dangers of using appliances like tumble dryers in storerooms or outbuildings where they can’t keep an eye on them.

Paul added: “We would urge anybody using a tumble dryer to make sure they clean the filters after every use.

"It’s important to remove any build up of fluff regularly. Never leave them on unattended or overnight.”

Essex Fire has said that their top tips for using a tumble dryer safely are:

  • Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
  • Don’t use tumble dryers at night or while unattended.
  • Clean the filters after each use to ensure they do not become blocked with fluff.
  • Items should be removed from the dryer immediately after the cycle and shaken loose to assist cooling.
  • Ensure that the appliance has its own plug socket. Do not overload extension leads.
  • Ensure that no more than 13 amps are in any one plug socket.