Shocked residents living near Wickford Memorial Park frantically called 999 after spotting “bright orange flames” in the Beauchamp Meadow at roughly 12.45am yesterday morning.
Firefighters quickly brought the blaze under control and prevented it spreading and, according to residents, found a discarded firework in the burnt-out field afterwards.
Resident Nick Brown, who lives close to the field, was on his way back from a friends in the early hours of New Year’s Day when he was startled by the “massive” fire.
Nick, 52, said: “I was coming home on the morning as I was at a friends and all I could see were the bright orange flames that lit up the pitch-black field.
Aftermath – The field later on Wednesday (Image: Nick Brown)
“It was terrifying, it looked like the whole field was ablaze across a huge area.
“I was there with the firemen at the time and they didn’t know how to get into the field and there was no way for them to get their hoses down there or get any proper access.
“I managed to take them through the courts to the right of the field and down to it, they found one firework there but neighbours didn’t see anyone there.
“Maybe one got carried by the wind.”
Nick added that the field’s once tall grass had been cut recently close to the houses preventing the risk of the fire spreading too far.
He added: “The whole place was ablaze in the pitch black and it looked really bad.
“The firefighters pulled in quite quickly and they luckily took it out with around six fire-beaters, a woman had called them and I saw them pull into the park’s car park.”
A spokesman for Essex Fire and Rescue said: “Firefighters were called to Wickford Memorial Park at 12.43am Wednesday morning.
“On arrival crews confirmed it was grass which was on fire.
“The cause of the fire was recorded as either accidental or deliberate, both possibilities.”