Around 100 firefighters battled to bring a huge overnight fire under control as it tore through a packaging and distribution warehouse in Essex.
The building in Basildon was ‘completely alight’, with flames also burning lorries outside the warehouse.
The inferno threatened to spread to a neighbouring industrial unit and officers have been working through the night to contain the blaze.
Fifteen fire engines and a number of specialist appliances, such as aerial ladder platforms to vary the angle of fire hoses, were at the scene after the first emergency call was made at 12.21am.
Inferno: The building (pictured) in Basildon, Essex, was ‘completely alight’ and officers have been working through the night to contain the blaze
Battling to contain blaze: Flames also burned lorries outside the warehouse (pictured)
The A127, a major road leading to London and the M25, was closed in both directions for at least an hour, the Essex Police Force Control Room reported on Twitter.
Nine hours after the alarm was first raised, three fire engines and two aerial ladder platforms were still at the scene, along with firefighters continuing to extinguish the flames and check for hotspots.
Social media users reported seeing huge clouds of smoke coming from the fire through the night.
The warehouse, which is approximately 100m x 50m, was completely alight at one time, but the officer in charge, Neil Fenwick, said crews acted quickly and prevented the spread of the fire.
The warehouse (left), which is around 100m x 50m, was completely alight at one time, but the officer in charge, Neil Fenwick, said crews (right) acted quickly and prevented the spread
He said: ‘The warehouse, which we believe is used for packaging and distribution, contained a large amount of stock and the fire took hold very quickly.
‘Firefighters have done an absolutely brilliant job here this morning. They spotted the fire had started to spread to the large warehouse next door and managed to extinguish the fire very quickly and stopped the fire spreading.’
Police said there are not believed to be any casualties.
Essex Fire Service said in an update released at 9.40am that the remaining crews were being helped out by contractors with specialist equipment and mechanical diggers to help turn over the collapsed roof and smouldering material to expose the last pockets of fire.
An investigation will be carried out to establish the cause of the fire.
Night shift: Three fire engines, their crews, and two aerial ladder platforms (pictured) were still at the scene nine hours after the alarm was first raised
No one hurt: Essex Police said there are not believed to be any casualties. An investigation will be carried out to establish the cause of the fire, Essex Fire Service said