Crews have issued safety advice after a phone charger caused a bedroom fire in Basildon.

Firefighters were called by a passer-by who saw smoke coming from a window of a terraced house in Pendle Drive today at 1.28pm.

Crews from Basildon, Rayleigh Weir and Wickford attended and found a fire in a first floor bedroom, which they fully extinguished by 2.34pm.

Echo:

Station Manager Scott Fretton said: "When crews arrived, the house was filled with smoke and the bedroom was completely alight. They did an excellent job to contain the fire to the bedroom.

"It appears a phone charger had been left switched on and, even through it wasn't plugged into anything, it overheated and started a fire.

"I urge people not to leave chargers on unattended and when they are charging to place items on a fire-resistant surface, away from anything flammable like a bed or sofa."

Echo: The bedroom severely damaged in the fireThe bedroom severely damaged in the fire (Image: Essex Fire and Rescue Service)

No-one was in the property at the time and two dogs escaped unharmed.

Station Manager Fretton added: "I'd like to praise the member of the public who saw the smoke and called 999."