Large explosion and fire at industrial unit in Essex triggers major incident
A large explosion and fire at an industrial unit in Essex has triggered a major incident and mass evacuation.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
A major incident was declared in Essex after a large explosion and fire at an industrial unit near the village of Rettendon, south of Chelmsford. The blast, which occurred at around 5pm, was caused by a store of fertilizer igniting inside one of the units. The fire spread rapidly, destroying buildings, vehicles, and a mast, and setting fire to surrounding fields. Flying debris also ignited nearby farmland.
At its peak, around 100 firefighters were deployed to tackle the blaze. The Essex County Fire and Rescue Service described it as one of the most challenging and complex incidents it has dealt with in recent years. Twenty firefighters were taken to hospital, four with minor injuries and 16 as a precaution. All have since been discharged. The explosion also destroyed three fire engines and two officer cars that were being used to respond to the incident, underlining the intensity of the conditions faced by crews.
Residents in nearby villages were evacuated as a precaution, and an evacuation shelter was set up at a local memorial hall. Local people were advised to keep windows and doors closed. Witnesses described hearing a loud explosion and seeing a fireball, with one man who was around 30 metres away saying gravel flew past him. Another resident, Penny, said she was worried about her home, which is made of wood, and spent the night in her car.
The fire service said the blaze is now under control, but firefighters are expected to remain at the scene throughout the weekend. A formal investigation into the cause of the explosion is underway. The East of England Ambulance Service had earlier called it a significant incident.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 5 | BBC News | BBC One | Channel 4 | ITV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 firefighters attended hospital and were later discharged. | |||||
| The explosion was caused by fertiliser stored in one of the units. | · | ||||
| The fire service declared a major incident and said the fire was under control. | · | ||||
| Three fire engines and two officer cars were destroyed. | · | ||||
| Around 100 firefighters were tackling the fire at its peak. | · | · | |||
| The fire broke out around 4:50-5:00 p.m. on July 24, 2026. | · | · | |||
| Four firefighters suffered minor injuries. | · | · | · | ||
| An evacuation shelter was set up at the Memorial Hall. | · | · | · | · | |
| Buildings, vehicles, and a mast were destroyed. | · | · | · | · | |
| Crews will remain at the scene throughout the weekend. | · | · | · | · | |
| Residents were evacuated from the area. | · | · | · | · | |
| The explosion could be heard from 15 miles away. | · | · | · | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The first segment focused on the dramatic eyewitness accounts and the scale of the fire, with a reporter on the ground describing the scene as still alight with pops and bangs. The second segment, later in the broadcast, provided a concise update on the number of firefighters taken to hospital and the destruction of fire engines, emphasising the challenging conditions.
- “People living nearby have described seeing smoke for a few minutes before hearing this explosion at around 5 p.m.”
- “The fire and explosion has also destroyed three fire engines and two officer cars that were being used to respond to the incident. This underlines the scale and intensity of the conditions our crews faced.”
ITV News provided two detailed reports. The first, from Rosie at the scene, highlighted the ongoing smouldering and the emotional impact on residents, including a woman who spent the night in her car. The second report, by Helen Keenan, focused on the aftermath, the destruction of fire engines, and the investigation. The tone was empathetic towards affected residents and firefighters.
- “I heard the explosion, I was in the JCB at the time with the radio on and I even heard it through that and we're the next farm along, so it's far enough away to sort of shake you up really.”
- “The fire and explosion has also destroyed three fire engines and two officer cars that were being used to respond to the incident. This underlines the scale and intensity of the conditions our crews faced.”
BBC News ran a consistent report across multiple broadcasts, focusing on the cause (fertilizer explosion), the number of firefighters hospitalised, and the destruction of fire service vehicles. The report included an eyewitness account from a local named Stephen and a formal statement from the fire service. The tone was factual and official.
- “Fertilizer exploded inside one of the industrial units, meaning that Essex County Fire and Rescue Service declared a major incident.”
- “It was absolutely chaotic. There's a lot of bystanders because it was such a massive explosion. It brought a lot of people out, you know what I mean, from miles away.”
Channel 4 News provided a brief update, focusing on the destruction of fire engines and the challenging conditions. It noted that four firefighters suffered minor injuries and were released. The report was concise and factual, with less emphasis on eyewitness accounts compared to other channels.
- “The explosion is believed to have involved fertilizer in one of the industrial units.”
- “Throughout yesterday afternoon, overnight and into today, firefighters have worked tirelessly in extremely challenging and hazardous conditions to contain the fire and prevent it from spreading any further.”
5 News Weekend gave a very brief summary, focusing on the number of firefighters taken to hospital and the fact that crews would remain at the scene over the weekend. It did not mention the cause of the explosion or the destruction of fire engines. The tone was straightforward and newsy.
- “20 firefighters have been taken to hospital after tackling a massive blaze which ripped through an industrial unit in Essex.”
- “Crews are expected to remain at the scene throughout this weekend.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.