A major fire broke out at a warehouse in the Airborne Industrial Estate, close to the A127 in Eastwood, late last night.
Emergency services were called at around 11.20pm after smoke was reported coming from inside a large warehouse believed to belong to Metrow Foods, a wholesale distributor that supplies a wide range of food products to retailers and restaurants across the region.
Crews from seven different fire stations were deployed, with firefighters from Southend, Rayleigh Weir, Leigh, Hawkwell, South Woodham Ferrers, Billericay and Basildon all rushing to the scene.
The fire created thick smoke visible across the Eastwood area and beyond. Essex County Fire and Rescue Service warned nearby residents to keep their windows shut overnight. In a statement, the service said there was “a lot of smoke coming from the incident.”
Firefighters remained on site into the morning as damping down operations continued. An investigation into the cause of the blaze will begin once the building is made safe.
The Airborne Industrial Estate, near Progress Road, is home to several local businesses and sits alongside the busy A127 route into Southend. The location meant passing drivers could clearly see the scale of the fire late into the night.
Key update on 17th August:
The warehouse is still on fire more than 36 hours after it was first reported on Friday night. Overnight, firefighters have been working to cut ventilation holes into the warehouse. They are trying to contain the “deep seated fire” which is within the warehouse.
Group Manager Steve Wintrip said: “There is still a lot of smoke in the area so we advise nearby residents and drivers coming down the A127 to keep their windows shut.”
It’s understood that a scaffolding company have also been involved in removing their scaffolding from the outside of the warehouse, to allow the firefighters more access.
The impact of the fire on the “family-run” business
Metrow Foods distributes foods and ingredients, serving both local independents and larger catering businesses. A number of employees of the business have said the fire is “devastating” and they have been working to notify customers of disruption due to the fire.
In a statement to customers, the Managing Director of Metrow Foods, Bruce Hodges, said:
“During the night of Friday, 15th August, a serious fire occurred at our main Coldstore facility. As a result, the site has been rendered inoperable for the immediate future.
“Please be assured that we are doing everything humanly possible to minimise the impact on your business. While we work urgently to explore every available option to restore our service levels, we will be maximising the use of our Banbury facility to continue supporting your needs.
“We sincerely apologise for any disruption this unforeseen event may cause and greatly appreciate your patience and understanding during this challenging time. Your support means a great deal to us, and we are fully committed to returning operations to normal as quickly as possible. Thank you for bearing with us.”
The fire marks the latest large-scale incident in the Southend area to require a multi-station response. Essex County Fire and Rescue Service, one of the largest fire authorities in the country, operates across 367 square miles and attends around 15,000 incidents a year. Southend’s own station is frequently mobilised to cover significant commercial fires such as this.