Three firecrews were called to a cottage fire after residents raised the alarm.
The firefighters attended the incident in Broadway, Grays at 8.48pm last night.
The crews were called to the blaze in the home after a passerby noticed smoke coming from the property.
When firefighters arrived they found the cottage was heavily smoke logged and the first floor was completely alight.
Watch Manager Dave Hogan, Grays Fire Station, said: "Our firefighters worked extremely well to stop the fire spreading and protect neighbouring properties."
Firefighters extinguished the fire by 10.11pm.
The first floor has been badly fire damaged and the ground floor has been damaged by smoke and water.
Officers will now carry out an investigation into the cause of the fire.
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