FIREFIGHTERS have spent more than 12 hours dealing with a major blaze at a 16th Century home in Essex.

FIREFIGHTERS have spent more than 12 hours dealing with a major blaze at a 16th Century home in Essex.

Crews from across the county were called to the incident at Coggeshall Hall, Coggeshall Road in Kelvedon at about 7.40pm last night.

Six fire engines were dispatched to the scene of the 20 by 5 metre building where the ground floor and roof of the three-storey property were ablaze.

The fire was under control by 11.30pm but crews remain on the scene throughout the night dealing with “hot spots” and damping down to ensure the blaze did not reignite.

The owners of the property were not home when the fire started and the cause remains unknown.

A joint police and fire service investigation has been launched but the incident is not being treated as suspicious at this stage.

Last night incident commander Andy Butcher said: “All fire crews worked excellently this evening, quickly containing the fire.”