Four dogs were killed this morning when a bungalow in Lower Stock Road, West Hanningfield caught fire.
Two fire engines from Chelmsford and Great Baddow fire service were called to the scene at 9.15am.
The home was reported to have been completely alight when the firefighters attended and although they managed to extinguish the fire within 30 minutes of arriving, it was too late to save the dogs inside.
An investigation to find out how the fire started has now been launched.
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