A fire investigation dog got her teeth stuck into her first incident after starting a six-month trial with Essex County Fire and Rescue Service.

Fizz the sprocker spaniel, accompanied by her handler Graham Currie, joined fire investigators and crime scene investigators at the scene of a fire at a nursery in Roydon on Friday, June 26.

Four fire crews from Essex and two fire crews from Hertfordshire took just over two hours to extinguish the fire in Epping Road, Roydon, the day before.

Fizz is trained to 'indicate' when she finds ignitable substances. The speed and accuracy of Fire Investigation Dogs can save police and fire investigators time and resources.

Fire Investigation Officer Andre Turner, Essex County Fire and Rescue Service, said: “It was a good chance for Graham and Fizz to get some experience, and for us to see what Fizz would find at the scene.

"She indicated at a petrol can and two bottles stuck on the ground – some type of cleaning product and a bottle of mould remover.

“We think we found where the fire originated but there were a lot of combustible materials – wood, pallets, tyres and fuels – at the site.”

The cause of the fire has been recorded as accidental or deliberate both possibilities.

CSI Andy Dongray, Essex Police, said: “It was great to work with Essex Fire and Rescue Service and Fizz was amazing – I love her little boots.”

When investigating fire scenes, dogs wear boots to protect their paws from shards of glass or other sharp objects.

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