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Firefighters injured and fire engines destroyed after industrial site blaze in Essex
A fertiliser explosion at an industrial unit triggered a major incident, sending 20 firefighters to hospital and destroying three fire engines.
- On Friday at 4.50pm, a fire broke out at an industrial unit on Southend Road between East Hanningfield and Rettendon in Essex; a fertilizer explosion shortly after triggered a major incident, injuring 20 firefighters and destroying three fire engines.
- More than 100 firefighters tackled the blaze, which witnesses described as sounding "like a bomb" before they saw a mushroom cloud that turned black, with the ground shaking and windows rattling across the region.
- Chief Fire Officer Rick Hylton confirmed all 20 firefighters were discharged from hospital on Saturday, with four suffering minor injuries and the remainder undergoing precautionary checks, including assessments for hearing loss following the explosion.
- Crews remain at Highlands Farm dealing with hotspots as the incident is now under control, while Essex County Fire and Rescue Service launched a formal investigation and urged the public not to speculate on the cause.
- Hylton described the event as "one of the most challenging and complex incidents" Essex County Fire and Rescue Service has responded to in recent years, praising firefighters for their "remarkable professionalism, courage, and commitment.
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An explosion in a fertiliser tank caused a large-scale fire that forced a large operation to deploy. Twenty firefighters were hospitalized and the detonation destroyed several emergency vehicles.
·Buenos Aires, Argentina
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On Friday, a fertilizer warehouse exploded in Essex, UK, leading to 20 firefighters needing to seek hospital treatment, writes the BBC.
·Stockholm, Sweden
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Total News Sources30
Leaning Left3Leaning Right8Center14Last UpdatedBias Distribution56% Center
Bias Distribution
- 56% of the sources are Center
56% Center
12%
C 56%
R 32%
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