AN outbuilding was destroyed as a blaze surged through a boiler house and threatened to take hold of a neighbouring property.

Firefighters from Ongar and Brentwood fire stations were called to Stanford Rivers Road, Ongar, shortly before 11pm yesterday.

The alarm was raised when the owners discovered a fire outside their home after their dogs woke them up barking.

Arriving at the scene, crews discovered a swimming pool boiler house was completely alight and the fire had begun to spread to a neighbour’s house.

READ MORE:

Shoebury's East Beach festival dates announced - here's when it will take place

Basildon vets save Husky after pioneering procedure to treat rare heart humour

For news updates straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.

Essex County Fire & Rescue Service incident commander Dan Hockley said: "The shed building has been damaged by fire and the fascia and guttering of both the owners and neighbour's house were damaged from the heat.

"It's thanks to the fantastic work of our crews that this fire didn't spread any further and cause considerably more damage."

The cause of the fire is unknown.