At least 12 fire crews have been working through the night to tackle a massive fire that broke out at a waste recycling company in Basildon. The fire was first reported shortly after 1am at TLM Environmental, a facility located on the Burnt Mills industrial estate.

Upon arrival, the first firefighters immediately called for reinforcements due to the scale of the blaze, with 10 additional crews deployed to the scene. Flames have engulfed multiple warehouses and machinery, sending a large plume of smoke into the air, which was visible to motorists along the A127.

The fire continued to burn well into the morning, with crews still working to contain the blaze by 10am. Roads surrounding the industrial estate remain closed by police as the firefighting efforts persist.

The situation has since been scaled back to five crews, with progress being made in bringing the fire under control. However, firefighters anticipate dealing with smaller pockets of fire for at least another 48 hours.

Residents in the area have been advised to keep windows closed due to the significant smoke expected to linger throughout the weekend.

Motorists and locals are urged to avoid the area while emergency services continue to manage the situation