FIRE: Crews tackle monster huge in Little Waltham

TWELVE fire crews from ten stations were called to Little Waltham on Saturday (May 28) to extinguish a wood fire at the Mid Essex Gravel Pit.

Firefighters arrived at 7.14pm to find a large wood pile, measuring 300 by 100 metres wide and 10 metres high. Upon arrival it was recorded that 60 per cent of the wood was well alight and the wind was hampering crews progress in extinguishing the blaze.

At 9pm crews were protecting an adjacent building using covering jets to dissipate any radiating heat. Firrefighters were allowing the main fire to burn in a controlled manner

Divisional Officer John Moulson-Incident Commander said: “Fire crews were confronted with a large wood pile alight at Mid Essex Gravel this evening, firefighters worked quickly to prevent the fire from spreading to a building adjacent to the wood pile on fire, and have managed to save the property from being destroyed.

“Crews expect to be at the incident throughout the night and will continue to monitor the burning wood pile.”

By 11.20pm the fire had been surrounded and a pinzgauer had been called in to assist crews. Two and a half hours later the fire was under control as crews had stopped it spreading.

Crews remained at the scene of the incident throughtout the bank holiday weekend and an appliance is continuing to monitor the controlled burning of the wood pile.

Essex County Fire and Rescue Service have since reported that the fire began after a wood tipping machine ove