An enormous explosion ripped through a series of industrial units in rural Essex on Friday, triggering a major incident and the evacuation of nearby residents, while hundreds of villagers were forced to flee their homes as a wildfire raged across the Cairngorms.
Crews from Essex Fire Service were called to Highlands Farm on Southend Road at 4.50pm following reports of a large industrial unit fire. Minutes later, a blast — sparked when fertiliser inside one of the units exploded — sent shockwaves across the village of Rettendon, home to around 2,000 people, and was heard and felt by residents across the county.
“Fertiliser explosion in Essex and Cairngorms wildfire trigger major incidents and evacuations.”
‘This is a significant fire, but we have it under control, and there is no wider risk to members of the public,’ said area manager Dave Bond in a statement at 8.15pm, confirming a major incident had been declared due to the scale of the blaze. ‘A number of industrial units have caught alight as well as a field, and crews have been working to prevent the fire spreading to nearby houses.’
More than 100 firefighters were deployed, with some expected to remain at the scene overnight. Everyone was reported safe, and no wider risk to the public was identified. Southend Road was closed, and residents were urged to keep windows and doors shut as thick smoke billowed across the area. The East of England Ambulance Service described the event as a ‘significant incident’ and advised locals to follow fire service guidance.
Hundreds of miles north, a separate emergency unfolded in the Cairngorms, where high winds and changing weather conditions caused a wildfire to flare up and spread rapidly, prompting a major incident declaration. Hundreds of villagers were evacuated as flames advanced, with fire crews battling the blaze amid challenging conditions.
The twin incidents stretched emergency services across the country, with both scenes expected to remain active through the night. Investigations into the causes of the fertiliser explosion and the Cairngorms wildfire are under way.