Four fire crews spent hours tackling a bin lorry fire in Harlow on Thursday afternoon as Essex endured 33C heat, with firefighters later sent on to a separate major incident the same night.
Essex County Fire and Rescue Service said crews were called at 1.25pm to the Mead Park Industrial Estate off Southern Way after a refuse vehicle caught alight following collections in the Chapel Fields area. The operation required the painstaking removal of rubbish from the vehicle so that it could be doused in stages.
“Firefighters were called at 1.25pm to a bin lorry on fire in Mead Park Industrial Estate, Harlow. Four crews have been working to put out a fire in a bin lorry for several hours by taking waste from the lorry to extinguish in sections.”
Crews remained at the scene for several hours as high temperatures and the volume of compacted waste made the work slow and labour-intensive. Shortly after leaving Harlow, firefighters were redeployed around 11pm to a major industrial site fire in High Ongar, underlining the pressure on resources during the spell of hot weather.
Where and when the incident unfolded
| Time | Location | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 1.25pm | Mead Park Industrial Estate, Southern Way, Harlow | Crews called to a refuse lorry on fire |
| Afternoon–evening | Harlow | Waste removed in sections and extinguished |
| ~11pm | High Ongar | Crews deployed to major industrial site fire |
Operational challenges in high heat
Blazes involving refuse vehicles can be difficult to bring under control because the contents are compacted and can smoulder deep within the load. In this case, firefighters worked methodically, removing and soaking sections of waste to stop the fire spreading within the lorry body. The 33C conditions added to the challenge, with hot weather typically increasing the risk of rapid fire development and making prolonged incidents more physically demanding for crews.
While the service did not specify the cause, incidents of this nature often require additional time on scene to ensure any hotspots are fully extinguished before vehicles can be recovered. The Harlow response, followed by the later deployment to High Ongar, illustrates how a sequence of call-outs during a heatwave can test local capacity across the county.
What residents need to know
- The incident occurred on Southern Way at the Mead Park Industrial Estate after collections in Chapel Fields.
- Four crews were involved and remained on scene for several hours to make the lorry safe.
- Firefighters were later called to a separate industrial fire in High Ongar at around 11pm.
Essex County Fire and Rescue Service has not released further details about damage or any impact on collections following the Harlow incident. No injuries have been reported in the information released so far.
Residents are advised to follow official channels for updates on local services and any future safety notices during the current warm spell.
