Essex was rocked by a massive explosion after an ambulance burst into flames, causing nearby homes and windows to tremble with the force of the blast this evening. Three fire engines were dispatched to the A130 Sadlers Farm roundabout in Basildon just after 7.15pm on Monday, March 31, as eyewitnesses reported “two loud explosions” and took to social media to share shocking images of the inferno.
Terrifying photos snapped by drivers stuck in gridlocked traffic on the A130 from Chelmsford direction captured the thick smoke billowing into the sky, visible from approximately two miles away. The fire also spread to adjacent grassland where the ambulance had pulled over near a verge.
The blaze caused a two-mile tailback on the A130, with motorists revealing that the road was cleared within an hour and conditions returned to normal. The status of the ambulance vehicle’s recovery remains unknown at this time.
Local residents expressed their alarm on Facebook, with reports of “two explosions” echoing through the area. One resident exclaimed: “We in woodside- house shook” while others commented: “and me my windows shook”, and “I wondered what the 2 big bangs were. Hope everyone is ok.” Another added: “I’m by Woodside and our caravans shook I am shaking never been so scared in my life”.
Miraculously, no ambulance crew members were harmed in the incident. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but images from the scene show the ambulance was completely destroyed.
A representative for the East of England Ambulance Service confirmed: “The ambulance belongs to a private ambulance service acting for us. None of the crew were injured in the incident and the ambulance was not carrying a patient at the time.”
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Essex County Fire and Rescue Service verified: “We were called to a vehicle fire on the A130 northbound, Sadlers Farm to Rayleigh Spur, today at 7.21pm. Crews from Basildon (two) and Rayleigh Weir attended and extinguished the fire by 8.07pm.”
