A CLEAN-up has begun today (Tuesday,  15 April) after yesterday's fire at an illegal industrial site on the outskirts of rural Thurrock. 

Crews of firefighters spent around six hours at the incident on the former Greenwise nursery site on Vange Park Road, near the Five Bells Roundabout on the A13.

Two commercial businesses operating on the site, Drainfast and TLM Skips.

Residents say the fire appeared to start on the Drainfast site, then spread quickly to the adjacent skip site where a number of explosions were then heard, which have been attributed to cylinders or gas tanks. 

The alert was raised just after 2pm and crews were on scene until mid evening.

A statement from Essex Fire and Rescue Service says: "Crews worked throughout the afternoon with local businesses to move a number of skips using plant machinery and extinguish the fires within them. 

"An industrial unit, four lorries and ten skips have been damaged in the fire."

Station Manager Jason Gould added: "Crews worked hard to prevent the fire spreading toward residential properties battling against the wind."

"Two businesses have been affected and we'd like to thank staff at both businesses for helping us throughout this incident."

Confirmation that homes were at risk has done little to allay residents' concerns about the illegal development of the site and the lack of preventative action by Thurrock Council.

One resident told Thurrock Nub News today: "Ultimately the council allowed two companies to occupy a site illegally, and both in their own way are a fire disaster waiting to happen. 

"If this had happened during the summer, the whole road and surrounding country park could have burnt down."

Concern has also been expressed about the lack of a water supply to the site, with fire crews reported to have have had to link tenders and hoses to relay water to fight the flames.