Crews have worked tirelessly to put out a fire that has engulfed 400 acres of fields and a defunct building.

At the height of the incident, 15 crews, two off-road vehicles (Stansted and Chelmsford), Southend’s Aerial Ladder Platform, and our Urban Search and Rescue team were present.

By 9.30 p.m., the fire had been extinguished. However, Thaxted and Old Harlow firefighters are still on the scene, inspecting the perimeter and building for hotspots. Crews will return in the morning to conduct additional checks.

It was a fast-moving fire due to the weather conditions, and crews worked really hard to protect the M11 and nearby houses,” said Station Manager Dave Bond.

“Unfortunately, embers ignited the roof space of a vacant two-story building at Great Chesterford train station.” The roof was severely damaged, but crews were able to keep the building from further damage.

“I’d like to thank our Control officers, who have been extremely busy dealing with calls and managing resources, as well as our crews, many of whom have gone from one difficult incident to the next.”

“Crews worked exceptionally hard today in extreme conditions – I can’t thank them enough,” said Station Manager Kevin Jenner.

“I’d also like to thank members of the community for their assistance, including providing additional refreshments to crews.”