A firework sparked a significant fire in Wickford Memorial Park, alarming local residents and prompting a swift response from firefighters.
Wickford: Residents were in shock when they saw bright orange flames lighting up Beauchamp Meadow around 12:45 AM yesterday. They quickly dialed 999, fearing the worst.
Firefighters arrived fast and managed to control the fire before it spread too far. After the flames were out, they discovered a discarded firework in the charred field.
Nick Brown, a local resident, was coming home from a friend’s place when he noticed the massive fire. He described it as terrifying, saying it looked like the whole field was on fire.
He recalled, “I was just trying to get home, and there were these bright orange flames lighting up the dark field.”
Nick was there when the firefighters arrived, and he helped them find a way into the field since they initially struggled to get their hoses in. They found one firework but didn’t see anyone around.
He speculated that maybe the firework had been blown into the area by the wind. Thankfully, the grass had been cut recently, which helped prevent the fire from spreading too much.
Nick said, “It looked really bad, but the firefighters got there quickly with six fire-beaters. A woman had called them, and I saw them pull into the park’s car park.”
According to a spokesperson for Essex Fire and Rescue, they received the call at 12:43 AM. When they arrived, they confirmed it was grass on fire. The cause is still under investigation, with both accidental and deliberate possibilities being considered.
