Harwich seafront fire leaves grass area singed

Firefighters were called to Marine Parade, in Harwich, shortly after 8.30am today after a grass area measuring approximately six-metres by 15-metres caught fire.

Thankfully, within just under half an hour, the fast-acting crews had managed to extinguish the inferno and nobody is understood to have been hurt.

Jamie Campbell was on his way back home after dropping his wife at work when he spotted the raging blaze.

He said: “I saw the black smoke so pulled over to make sure no one was hurt but then a gentlemen told me the fire service had been called, so I got out of the way.”

Fiz Baker, walked past the scene shortly after firefighters had neutralised the incident.

“It was still smouldering and it is fortunate it did not spread further,” she said.

“The grass is so tinder dry but there was no sun at all this morning to spark off a piece of glass or something similar.

“It was the coolest morning for three weeks so some idiot has obviously dropped a cigarette butt.”

The Essex Fire Service is set to confirm the cause of the fire.