FIRE crews have remained overnight at the scene of an agricultural workshop fire which broke out in Stanford Rivers yesterday morning.

The barn was well alight when crews arrived.

The workshop at Stanford Rivers Farm contained several volatile substances, including diesel and potentially-explosive acetylene in high pressure containers.

It was also discovered that an outbuilding next to the barn contained 16 tonnes of Ammonia Nitrate and 900 litres of diesel.

Crews were forced to remain on the scene overnight to keep the cylinders cool and a 200m exclusion safety zone was set up nearby homes evacuated.

Some people are still unable to return home this morning.

An Essex Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said it was re-assessing the situation, and expected residents to be able to return to their homes this morning.

Water supplies to several homes in the area have also been affected.