'We're not giving up after fire' - firm director

The fire started at a recycling centre on Saturday and fire crews are still working to put it out

"We're not going to give up," said the director of a firm after the business was left badly damaged due to a fire at the neighbouring recycling centre.

Essex Fire crews were called to Hovefields Avenue in Basildon, Essex, at 01:15 BST on Saturday and remain at the scene to continue efforts to put out the ongoing fire.

Steve O'Malley, the director of Essex Packaging Supplies, said: "We managed to survive flooding after a burst water pipe [and] Covid-19, so we'll be able to survive this."

He added the fire had lost the firm about half a million pounds worth of stock.

Essex Packaging Solutions had been destroyed due to the fire at the recycling centre

Mr O'Malley has worked at the firm for 36 years and said: "[It is] pretty devastating, the company was originally formed in 1978 and we had gone through various transitions to get to where we are."

He said the building had been designed to collapse inwards in case of a fire, which it did.

Mr O'Malley said the company had also lost four lorries, three vans and three forklifts that were on the site when the fire broke out.

"It was a shock, we are trying to run on limited resources," he added.

There has been fire damage to the building where Essex Packaging Solutions used to be

The firm owns the land the building was on, and the director said: "At some stage we are going to be able to rebuild on that land."

Twenty-three staff members have also been left upset after the fire and Mr O'Malley said the team has been pitching in to try and help where they could.

He added: "It's just going to take a little bit of time [to rebuild]."

A spokesperson for Essex County Fire and Rescue Service said: "Crews and on-site staff are continuing to make progress to deconstruct a warehouse and extinguish burning material at a recycling centre fire in Basildon.

"Smoke is still being produced so please keep doors and windows closed if you live nearby and take extra care on the A127."

Essex Packaging Solutions was founded in the 1970s and employs 23 staff members