FIRE crews are expected to remain at the scene of this morning's barn blaze in Stanford Rivers for 24 hours as a 200m exclusion zone remains in place.

This is because of the volatile nature of acetylene, a flammable material, which can re-ignite when at room temperature, an Essex Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said.

Crews are planning to work at the scene, at Stanford Rivers Farm, in School Road - next to St Margaret's Church - through the night.

The road outside the farm remains closed off.

Stanford Rivers Parish Council chairman John Glover said: "There was a large black plume of smoke hanging in the air, but I couldn't get closer as the police turned me away."

An Essex Fire and Rescue Service spokesman could not say when evacuated residents would be allowed to return to their homes.

He said: "We will only be re-assessing it in 24 hours, there's no definite promise that they can return home - but we expect they will be able to."

Seven fire crews - from Epping, Loughton, Harlow, Ingatestone and Brentwood - were called to the barn at about 8.45am this morning.

The 60m by 40m barn, which was 100 per cent alight, contained workshop equipment, cylinders containing nitrogen and oxygen, six empty cylinders and three cylinders of argon.

A fire spokesman said that next to the barn is a building containing 16 tonnes of ammonia nitrate and 900 litres of diesel.

Incident Commander Assistant Divisional Officer Mark Earwicker, speaking at the scene, said: "The incident involves a workshop. Once crews arrived they learned that there are acetylene cylinders present in the building and a large amount of fertilizer so crews have been withdrawn because of the danger they pose.

"The cylinders will be cooled for 24 hours and then we will re-assess to see if they are safe."