THERE is no such thing as a quiet month for the emergency services, and the month of May has proved no different, with Essex County Fire and Rescue Service called out to no fewer than 11 incidents.

Here is a round-up of the incidents which the fire services have attended in Colchester, Braintree, and Clacton in May.

Tuesday, May 17

Faulty appliances are a common cause of household fires, and on Tuesday, a faulty fridge freezer caused a shed fire after bursting into flames.

The fire soon spread to a nearby bungalow, at which point the fire service was called.

They eventually extinguishing the fire later that evening.

Essex Fire Service control teams were alerted to the fire after a resident called 999 when they spotted flames in their neighbour’s garden.

Gary Clarke, watch manager at Clacton Fire Station, said: “We believe it started after a fridge freezer in the shed, which did not have enough room for ventilation behind and around it, overheated and caught fire.

“This can happen more easily than you might think - so please, keep the area around your appliances clear. Unless they need to be kept on, turn them off when you can.”

Saturday, May 14

Last Saturday, a burst water main affected several properties in the early hours of the morning.

Several roads were closed as crews worked hard to ensure water levels remained under control.

The water board were in attendance at 09.30am, with Anglian Water on the scene just over an hour later.

Gazette:

Station Manager Lee Hurst said: “I'd like to thank the local community for their support this morning and recognise the hard work of our crews in managing the flow of water.

“This was a really challenging incident and we're grateful to Braintree Rugby Club for allowing us to use their pitch to help drain some of this water.”

Wednesday, May 11

On Wednesday, May 11, fire crews – as well as brave members of the public – helped save more than 40 animals in Cavendish Avenue, Colchester.

Crews were called at 12.28pm, but before they could even arrive, two members of the public had already stormed into the house to save dogs and cats.

Gazette:

Station manager, Syd Barrett, said: “There were dogs, cats, birds, pigs, guinea pigs and a rabbit in the property and outside. Sadly, one marmoset died and I took another to a vets, but we're pleased the other animals are OK.”

Tuesday, May 10

In Chinook earlier this month, it was once again an electrical fault which was the cause of a house fire.

Firefighters entered the flat wearing breathing apparatus to rescue anyone inside, although nobody was in the property.

The fire took 25 minutes for crews to extinguish.

Wednesday, May 4

At the beginning of the month, it was not a fire which resulted in fire and rescue services being called out – instead, it was after a man went climbing on coastal rocks in Clacton.

The coastguard was called to the pier at 10.29pm after a man had slipped on the rocks and got stuck in the breakwater.

Clacton crew manager, Andrew Deex, explained the situation in a statement.

He said: “He had been there quite a while – he had been sitting on the rocks, dropped his mobile phone in between the gaps and had got stuck when he tried to retrieve it.

“Luckily, he had someone with him who called for help, otherwise it could have been a very different story. It was dark and the tide was coming in.

“We would urge people not to climb on rocks by the sea, especially at night.”