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A pall of black smoke which drifted across Haverhill on Saturday lunchtime and resulted in warnings to residents to keep windows closed and a brief closure of the bypass came from a fire in Boundary Road.

The incident is bound to re-ignite debate about proposals to turn weekend fire cover in the town over to on-call crews rather than the full-timers whose quick response is believed to have helped save surrounding businesses.

An investigation has now begun after the huge fire destroyed plastics factory Haverhill Mould and Tooling.

It is not known how the blaze started but it seems to have begun in oil drums outside the building, which was empty at the time of the blaze.

Fire crews were called to fight the blaze at 12.35pm but could not prevent it spreading to the roof of the semi-detached building and kerosene stored inside the unit, which makes plastic injection moulds and tools, then caught light.

Around 40 fire fighters from Haverhill, Clare, Wickhambrook, Ixworth, Withersfield and Linton as well as a turntable ladder from Colchester Road, Ipswich were all called to tackle the flames.

Crews on the ground fought valiantly to get control of the relentless plastics blaze - trying to get water into the seat of the fire, but their hoses were unable to reach into the building fully.

As thick, choking smoke poured through the roof, Haverhill town was blanketed in the smoky haze as far as Sainsbury’s.

The remedy came around 2.30pm with the arrival of the aerial ladder platform. The high pressure hose was able to be directed straight down through the collapsed roof of the building and within minutes the thick, noxious black smoke started to lighten in colour as the firefighter on the top of the platform aimed directly at the seat.

Residents living near the blaze were urged to keep windows and doors closed as plumes of smoke billowed across the town and affected traffic on the bypass.

The Environment Agency and Anglia Water also visited the scene as kerosene inside the building entered the water course and drains.

Water jets were used to stop the fire spreading to the adjoining building.

Crews wearing breathing apparatus used a turntable ladder to fight the fire through the collapsed roof and managed to bring the flames under control by 3.30pm.