Brightlingsea’s former police station was filled with smoke and special effects for an Essex County Fire & Rescue Service training drill.
Exercise Bill simulated a major incident with officers and prisoners missing.
A special effects company provided smoke machines and lighting rigs to add realism while fire crews from the town, West Mersea, Tollesbury and Tiptree carried out a search for before tackling the fake blaze.
Leading Firefighter Dave Bond said: “The exercise went really well, everyone learned a lot and found it very useful. You couldn’t see more than a few inches in front of you.”
The building is now owned by the town museum, who agreed to the exercise before refurbishment begins.
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