Child among seven rescued from fire at flats

Emergency services were called to Witchards in Basildon on Sunday

Seven people, including a young child, have been rescued after becoming "trapped" during a fire at some flats in Essex.

A member of the public used a ladder to rescue three people, including the child, before firefighters arrived at Witchards in Basildon at about 10:00 BST on Sunday.

It was believed the blaze, in a covered walkway at the side of the flats, was started by a pile of rubbish set alight by discarded smoking materials.

Five of the six flats in the building suffered smoke damage.

The fire service said it "quickly surrounded" the flames

It was thought the fire was started by discarded smoking materials

Station manager Russ Freeman said crews "quickly surrounded the fire", extinguished it and then cleared the building of smoke.

"[The fire] spread incredibly quickly, producing a large amount of smoke and heat as it did so," he said.

"Before we arrived a member of the public used a ladder to rescue three people from two flats. We rescued an additional four when we arrived, leading them out via their front doors.

"The rest [three others] made their own way out."