More than 40 firefighters braved exploding gas cylinders and sparking electrical cables to tackle a huge timber fire.

Seven engines from Southend, Rochford, Leigh, Hadleigh and Rayleigh, raced to the blaze in Hawkwell, which sent 100ft flames and huge plumes of thick black smoke into the air, seen as far away as Shoebury.

The first firefighters at the scene - which involved 50 tonnes of timber covering the equivalent of one-and-half football fields - were almost instantly cut off after the fire attempted to jump a road.

Collapsed live power lines caused additional problems for the crews, who had to sidestep the sparking cables as they worked.

One firefighter suffered minor burns and was taken to Southend Hospital for treatment.

Martin Hodder, Southend station commander and incident commander at the scene in Magnolia Park - a former nature reserve, off Magnolia Road in Hawkwell - said the radiating heat was "tremendous".

He said: "The timber stables and timber storage yard were 100 per cent alight. There was something like 50 tonnes of timber on fire, along with nearby woodland. We had fork-lift trucks in the middle and their propane gas cylinders were exploding. Add to all that, the live power cables were arcing and sparking like crazy."

By 1pm yesterday (Sunday), most of the fire had been put out, but crews from other parts of the county were called to relieve exhausted firefighters to help damp down the burning embers.

It is not yet known what caused the blaze.

Damping down - more than 40 firefighters tackled the blaze

Picture: ROBIN WOOSEY

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