CREWS extinguished a fire in a ground floor flat in Basildon after a resident raised the alarm.

Firefighters from Basildon and Corringham were called to Witchards today (Saturday, 7 May) at 2.54am after someone in an adjacent flat reported smelling smoke.

Crews found a fire in the lounge, caused by an electric golf trolley battery overheating after it was left on charge. No-one was in the flat at the time. 

Temporary Watch Manager John-Paul Charters said: "We'd like to thank the resident for raising the alarm. It meant we were able to quickly extinguish the fire before it spread to the rest of the property or the adjoining flats.

"The incident is a reminder to make sure you unplug electric appliances when they're not in use and not to leave items on charge for long periods."

Crews fully extinguished the fire by 3.41am and used fans to clear the smoke.