20 Firefighters Hospitalized After Fertiliser Explosion Destroys Essex Farm Site

A fire that tore through an industrial site in Essex on Friday evening triggered a massive explosion when it reached a fertiliser store, sending 20 firefighters to the hospital and destroying fire service equipment in what officials describe as a significant incident for the county.

Essex County Fire and Rescue Service was called at about 4:50 PM BST Friday to reports of a fire involving industrial units and surrounding land at Highlands Farm, on Southend Road between East Hanningfield and Rettendon, according to the BBC. Crews arrived to find a large, fast-developing blaze already underway.

At 5:46 PM, a unit storing fertiliser exploded. Witnesses told the BBC the blast sounded "like a bomb" and compared it to a "sonic boom," with hot debris falling from the sky afterward.

More than 100 firefighters responded to the scene as the service declared a major incident. Three fire engines and two fire service cars were destroyed in the blaze, according to the BBC.

Of the 20 firefighters taken to the hospital, four sustained minor injuries. The other 16 were checked as a precaution for issues such as hearing loss caused by the explosion, according to Essex Chief Fire Officer Rick Hylton. All 20 have since been discharged.

Hylton praised his crews at a Saturday media conference, calling their response a display of "remarkable professionalism, courage and commitment." He described the incident as "one of the most challenging and complex incidents Essex County Fire and Rescue Service has responded to in recent years."

As of Saturday, about 25 firefighters remained on scene continuing to dampen down hot spots. Hylton said the fire service is also working on recovery operations to support businesses affected by the blaze.

An investigation into the cause of the fire is underway, according to Essex Fire and Rescue. No timeline for that investigation has been announced, and no cause has been confirmed.

The BBC's reporting, drawn largely from Hylton's Saturday briefing and witness accounts, does not identify the business operating out of Highlands Farm, nor does it specify the scale or type of fertiliser involved. Until investigators release findings, it remains unclear whether the fire started in the industrial unit and spread to the fertiliser store, or whether some other sequence of events unfolded.

The immediate outcome is that no fatalities have been reported and all hospitalized firefighters have been released. Three destroyed fire engines and two service cars represent an operational impact for Essex County Fire and Rescue Service that will need to be addressed as the county continues to respond to other emergencies in the region.

The formal cause investigation will be the next concrete step. Until that concludes, residents and business owners near Rettendon lack a clear answer on what triggered the blaze.