Motorists alerted a lorry driver who was unaware his straw load was ablaze as he drove along.
Rayleigh police and Hockley fire service were contacted and firefighters spent an hour tackling the lorry blaze in Lower Road, Hockley.
PC Rob O'Sullivan said they received the call from an astonished driver who noticed the blazing lorry as it headed towards Hullbridge.
He said: "It was a proper mess and all the straw was strewn over the road by the time we arrived.
"The fire service took about an hour to extinguish the fire and mop up afterwards. The lorry driver had no idea his load was on fire until it was pointed out to him."
Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article