A number of flats in Sawyers Hall Lane have been left without power (credit: Google Maps)
Essex Fire Service were called to Sawyers Hall Lane yesterday morning (Sunday, 14 January) after reports of smoke filling a communal hallway in a three-story block of flats.
On arrival, firefighters discovered the blaze was in a ground-floor cupboard that housed electrics.
The ground floor of the building was evacuated and the first and second floor residents were asked to stay put, as per the building’s stay put policy.
Crews quickly tackled the fire, which had started after a crack in a water pipe had led to water reaching the fuse board in the cupboard. After extinguishing the fire, crews then ventilated the building.
In a statement online, Essex Fire Service said: “The fire has left a number of flats without power and officers on scene were told it may be up to a few days before the power can be restored.”
