Firefighters tackle blaze at Thurrock ambulance firm base

Firefighters are tackling a blaze at the premises of a private ambulance firm.

Elite Event Medical Services (EMS) said the fire at its Thurrock site on Motherwell Way, near Lakeside Shopping Centre, broke out at 04:50 BST.

Essex County Fire and Rescue Service said 10 fire crews, including one from London, were sent to the scene at the peak of the blaze.

No-one had been hurt in the fire, Elite EMS said.

Incident commander Al Green said there were vehicles inside the industrial unit and when crews arrived it "seemed to be a relatively small fire but it escalated very quickly".

He said it was thought there were oxygen cylinders inside that were exploding and enhancing the fire, and there were concerns about a nearby fuel station.

Mr Green said: "The building is 100% damaged by fire, it's a metal building that has collapsed in on itself."

Mr Green said there were still hot-spots in the building but the number of crews at the scene had been scaled back.

People living and working in the area have been warned to keep windows and doors closed due to smoke coming from the scene.

John Ginn, who arrived at 05:20 to go to work nearby, said: "I saw the smoke and heard some explosions, apparently it was oxygen tanks that were in the ambulances going up."

He added: "It's scary and luckily enough not loads of buildings were joined to it as they would've gone up as well."

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