On the night of September 14, a large fire broke out at a processing plant located on Hovefields Avenue in the British town of Basildon, Essex County, UK. The local fire service received a call at 1:15 a.m. and the firefighters who arrived at the scene found several warehouses and 15 cars completely engulfed in flames.

Eyewitnesses reported loud explosions heard at a considerable distance from the scene. Smoke from the fire was so thick that it could be seen even from the neighbouring county of Kent, and it also spread to the A127 motorway, creating additional difficulties for drivers. Remarkably, there was a version that sabotage had been carried out on the territory of the enterprise.

Twelve fire crews were sent to fight the blaze, but by morning their number had been reduced to five. Despite this, local fire services warned that extinguishing work could last throughout the weekend.

Firefighters warn that the cleanup of the fire could take up to 48 hours, and smoke from burning materials could continue to disturb local residents. Authorities are urging people not to open windows and to limit their time outdoors, especially near the emergency area.