FIREFIGHTERS in Essex were called to non-existent incidents yesterday after testing took place on a new 999 call system.

Essex Fire and Rescue Service insists public safety was not harmed by the error.

The service was forced to withdraw its new call handling system and revert back to an older version after previous problems were identified last month.

The Essex branch of the Fire Brigades Union has argued the new mobilising system is not fit for purpose and was introduced too quickly.

Yesterday’s problems arose while the new system was being tested in the background, while Essex Fire and Rescue Service used the old system for handling emergency calls.

The FBU claims a fire engine was responding to an "imaginary" incident in Basildon when it had to be redeployed to a real house fire.

Riccardo la Torre, chairman of the FBU in Essex, said: “The mobilising system has been suffering endemic failures for months now.

"The FBU has raised this again and again but Essex Fire and Rescue are just not listening.

“One minute fire chiefs were reassuring fire authority members that things were fine, the next the whole system went haywire mobilising fire engines all across the county to fake incidents.” 

A fire service spokesman said: "We can confirm that some appliances were mobilised during a system test yesterday.

“At no time was public or firefighter safety compromised.

“All of our crews responded professionally throughout - this is what they do every day.

“We are investigating the cause and what actions could have been taken to prevent it happening."