Essex's fire service battle 'large blaze' at Pitsea recycling centre
Crews want locals to keep their windows and doors closed
Firefighters from Essex Fire and Rescue are currently battling a large fire at a recycling centre in Archers Fields, Pitsea.
At 12:35 pm, the first update from the scene revealed that firefighters were responding to a significant fire at the recycling centre.
On arrival, crews were faced with approximately 250 tonnes of recycling materials and plant machinery engulfed in flames. To combat the fire, seven crews were deployed, utilizing an Aerial Ladder Platform to extinguish the blaze in sections.
Residents in the vicinity were promptly advised to keep their windows and doors closed due to the potentially hazardous smoke emanating from the fire.
As the afternoon progressed, the situation evolved, and a second update was provided at 4 pm.
Firefighters had been employing the Aerial Ladder Platform to extinguish the fire in sections throughout the day.
They were able to scale down the response to four crews, who continue working in collaboration with site staff to contain and extinguish the fire.
Despite progress being made, officials cautioned that the incident was not over.
The teams on-site anticipated remaining at the scene for several more hours, and residents were once again reminded to expect a substantial amount of smoke in the surrounding area.