An overnight fire at a pub in Wivenhoe, near Colchester, serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by improperly discarded cigarettes, especially in outdoor settings.

Essex County Fire and Rescue Service responded to an emergency call just after 01:15 BST on 6 April, where flames had engulfed fencing and an outbuilding in the pub garden. The alert was raised by a neighbour who noticed the fire spreading.

Thanks to the swift actions of firefighters, the main pub building, The Quay was preserved from damage. However, significant fire and smoke damage was recorded on the outbuildings and structures adjacent to the pub garden wall.

The incident was the second in two days in the area to be traced back to a discarded cigarette. A similar blaze occurred the previous night in Stanway, where a shed caught fire due to the same cause.

Following the incident, Watch Manager Darren Holliday from Colchester Fire Station highlighted a crucial fire safety message: "Double-check your cigarette is fully stubbed out and safely thrown away." He went on to explain that the fire at The Quay had started approximately four hours after a cigarette was discarded, smouldering unnoticed before igniting nearby flammable materials.

With warmer spring weather and heightened wildfire warnings across parts of the UK, the risk posed by carelessly discarded smoking materials increases significantly. Outdoor social spaces, especially those constructed with timber or containing combustible materials, can quickly become hazardous if fire safety isn't properly observed.

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