The office of a Canvey salvage firm could have gone up in flames if it had not been for a quick-thinking employee, firefighters said today.

Crews from Canvey fire station were called to HBC on the Charfleets industrial estate at around 10.30pm yesterday after a worker alerted them to the blaze. Firefighters arrived at the scene to find flames already licking at the front of the office.

Officers believe the fire started after a searchlight was knocked over and the heat from the light set the cladding at the front of the building alight.

Sub officer Kevin Mockler said: "The company is very lucky there was an employee on the scene at that time. We got to the scene very quickly and were able to put out the fire."

Published Friday August 16, 2002

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