AN INVESTIGATION is being carried out after more than eight firefighter crews tackled a blaze in Clacton’s High Street.

Firefighter crews from Clacton, Colchester, Frinton, and Weeley were called to a derelict building near the former Sainsbury’s, in High Street, yesterday afternoon.

Nearby residents were warned to keep doors and windows closed at the time due to very thick smoke being produced by the fire.

The crews worked together to extinguish the blaze from within the building and from its first floor using an aerial ladder platform.

Given the nature of the fire, four additional crews were requested for support and had to wear breathing apparatus due to “a large amount of debris within the building”.

Essex County Fire and Rescue provided an update at 11pm saying it was able to scale its team just to four crews who continued to extinguish the last of the fire and cool the area.

The fire affected an area of approximately 40 metres by 15 metres.

An investigation is now being carried out today to determine the cause of the fire.