UK Power Plant Steam Release Mistaken for Fire

A harsh, shrill screech Saturday night that issued from a power plant in south Essex, England, has been explained as a build up of pressure that caused a safety valve to lift.

“The process has caused a large amount of steam and noise in the area, but there is no fire or cause for concern,” the Essex County Fire & Rescue Service website states.

Originally reported as having occurred at a natural gas plant, the safety valve also released an enormous column of steam into the atmosphere at dusk. Reflecting the light from the ground, the steam gave the impression of a fire in the distance.

Firefighters were called to the power station purely as a precautionary measure, the ECFRS website states.