Parked cars delayed fire crews responding to a blaze which left a property uninhabitable.
An overheated battery charger was blamed for the fire, which resulted in a man suffering smoke inhalation after attempting to tackle the flames before they took hold.
Fire crews from Frinton and Clacton were called to Peake Avenue, Kirby Cross, at 5pm on Tuesday.
Nick Singleton, operational manager for north Essex, recommended having smoke alarms on every floor after one alerted the resident to the fire, but urged people against attempting to tackle a smaller fire alone.
He also recommend remaining in the same room as a charging battery and highlighted the importance considerate parking, adding: “Crews were delayed on their way to this incident by badly parked cars. When you’re parking your car, please think about whether a fire engine, ambulance or police vehicle can get through in an emergency.”
Frinton fire station is currently recruiting for on-call firefighters.
To find out more, visit join.essex-fire.gov.uk/oncall
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