The tortoises were rescued from a barn at a residential property in Sandford Mill Road, Chelmsford. Picture: GOOGLE MAPS (Image: Archant)
Firefighters have rescued 40 tortoises from a smoke logged barn after a fire sparked by a storage heater.
Essex County Fire and Rescue Service were called to the incident at 9.57am today after reports of a small fire burning in the barn on a residential property.
Two engines attended the scene in Mill Road, Chelmsford, and crews extinguished the fire by 10.51am.
It was believed to have been started when bedding, which was kept next to a storage heater, ignited.
Positive pressure ventilation fans had to be used to clear the smoke from the barn.
The barn was being used by the residents to breed tortoises.
The fire service have confirmed that thankfully none of the animals came to harm during the rescue.
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