Debden fire: Crews battle huge blaze at construction project in Essex

Smoke seen 15 miles away in Canary Wharf as firefighters put out the final flames

Firefighters in Essex have successfully tackled a huge blaze at a construction site near Debden station.

Six fire crews were called out at 11.20am on Friday morning after the fire broke out at an unfinished, three-story building on Burton Road.

Several roads were been closed in the area and Essex County Fire and Rescue Service advised people living nearby to close doors and windows to avoid being affected by the smoke.

Firefighters needed an aerial ladder to help them battle the spreading flames, with crews managing to put out the final fires in the roof space at 1.15pm.

By then the smoke could be seen 15 miles away in London’s Canary Wharf.

Passers-by captured the fire on video as huge plumes of smoke first spread across Debden and Loughton in south Essex.

Adrian Warnock, who initially alerted the fire service, said construction workers were still on site when the fire broke out.

“People were still on scaffolding working when it started,” he said on Twitter. “Went up quickly. Called fire brigade then began filming.”

Epping Forest District Police Community Safety Team hailed a “fantastic response” by emergency teams and thanked the community for showing “support and understanding”.

Transport for London said Debden’s Central Line station remained open and unaffected.

Essex County Fire and Rescue Service said an investigation would now begin to determine the cause of the fire.