Embers from incinerator sparks shed fire

Firefighters battled a garden fire in Dedham after embers in an incinerator set a shed alight.

Two fire crews from Colchester attended the incident in Monks Lane, Dedham, around 2.25pm today.

On arrival, firefighters reported that a garden shed was on fire and managed to extinguish the blaze by 2.47pm.

Andrew Deex, crew manager from Colchester Fire Station, said: “If you are going to have a bonfire or a fire in an incinerator, make sure it’s properly extinguished before you leave it. In this dry weather, embers can quickly catch grass and plants alight and spread.”

Essex Fire and Rescue Service issued the following safety advice for anyone planning to have a bonfire:

• Site the bonfire well away from houses, garages, sheds, fences, overhead cables, trees and shrubs

• Never leave the bonfire burning unattended

• Build the stack so that it is stable and will not collapse outwards or to one side

• Never use flammable liquids - paraffin or petrol - to light the fire

• Don’t burn foam-filled furniture, aerosols, tins of paint and bottles

• Keep everyone away from the fire - especially children, who must be supervised at all times

• Pour water on the embers before leaving