Scott Johnson, 46, a wedding photographer from Chelmsford, Essex, said the impact of the blast 'threw him into the door' of his studio - firefighters continue to tackle the blaze this morning09:57, 25 Jul 2026Updated 09:58, 25 Jul 2026A man has told of the terrifying moment he was 'thrown into his door' after a huge explosion tore through the Essex countryside.‌Police declared a major incident last night and residents were evacuated from their homes after a large container of fertiliser exploded while firefighters responded to a blaze between East Hanningfield and Rettendon.‌The blaze, which has engulfed industrial units and a field, created a huge fireball and a shock wave felt up to 15 miles away. Firefighters remained at the scene this morning after tackling the flames overnight.‌Scott Johnson, 46, a wedding photographer from Galleywood, Chelmsford, witnessed the blast - and said it was so powerful it pushed him into the door of his studio.Content cannot be displayed without consentDescribing the moment of the explosion, Scott said: “I’ve never seen or heard anything like it in my entire life, I felt it. I was standing by the door, and the force pushed me into the studio door just as I locked it. If the door was open I'd have been blown into the studio.‌“I just looked up and there was just a barn raining down on top of me, on fire, bits of metal, bits of wood, bits of Christ knows what. I’ve literally walked away, apart from a fuzzy ear, completely unscathed.“I think my studio is going to be ok, the roof had been blown in and all the tiles were completely askew but from the aerial footage I’ve seen it’s not on fire.”‌He explained he managed to save most of the expensive equipment out of his studio, which is located on the industrial estate.Essex County Fire and Rescue Service deployed 100 firefighters to the scene at the peak of the response last night as evacuations were carried out in the immediate area around the blast.Residents were told to keep their doors and windows shut as a precaution due to the large plumes of smoke.‌Around 50 firefighters remain on scene this morning to put the remains of the fire out.Group Manager Dave Walpole said: "We will likely be here throughout the day and the scene is still producing some smoke so please keep windows and doors closed."‌Area Manager Dave Bond said: "We expect to be here throughout the night and into tomorrow. There will still be visible smoke from the site overnight, but the current wind direction is in our favour, and is drifting up away from homes. If in doubt, and you can smell it, keep your doors and windows closed as a precaution. “There will be a thorough investigation carried out to find the cause of the fire."Area Manager Dave Bond said: "This is a significant fire but we have it under control and there is no wider risk to members of the public. A number of industrial units have caught alight as well as a field and crews have been working to prevent the fire spreading to nearby houses."While on the scene, fertiliser inside one of the units exploded and residents across the county have reported hearing and feeling it. This is why we declared a major incident and I want to reassure our residents that there is no wider risk to the public at this time.Article continues below"Everybody at the scene is safe, residents nearby have been evacuated while we put the fire out and Southend Road is currently closed to allow us more space to work safely."We expect to be at the scene throughout the night. It is producing lots of smoke so we recommended keeping your windows and doors shut if you live nearby. “Roads will remain closed. Please avoid the area."