Icy weather caused more than 70 accidents in less than two hours today because roads were not gritted, Essex Police said.
Southend Council and Essex County Council failed to take action following forecasts of freezing temperatures, officers claimed.
A man suffered minor injuries after being hit by a car in Manchester Drive, Leigh, at 7.45am today and a smash in Mountdale Gardens ended in a car bursting into flames.
A Southend Council spokesman today blamed inaccurate weather reports for the authority's inaction on minor routes.
She added: "There was continuous monitoring of the weather with staff scouting the roads until after midnight when temperatures were above freezing.
Published Thursday January 15, 2004
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