UK industrial fire: Essex fertiliser explosion injures 20 firefighters, destroys 3 fire engines

A fertiliser explosion at Highlands Farm on Southend Road in Essex injured 20 firefighters and destroyed three fire engines and two fire service vehicles.

The blaze broke out at around 4:50 pm on Friday, spreading to a fertiliser storage area where a powerful explosion occurred.

Essex Chief Fire Officer Rick Hylton described the blast as one of the most complex incidents the service has dealt with in recent years.

Four firefighters sustained minor injuries; the remaining 16 underwent precautionary checks and all 20 have been discharged from hospital.

Witnesses described the explosion as sounding 'like a bomb' or a 'sonic boom,' with hot debris falling from the sky and fields catching fire.