FIREFIGHTERS are tackling a large blaze at a 115-year-old waste firm which was devastated by fire three years ago.

Towering plumes of smoke could be seen above Thirsk, North Yorkshire, as dozens of firefighters spent several hours bringing the blaze in a 20m by 30m industrial unit at FD Todd and Sons, on Thirsk Industrial Estate, under control today (Monday, June 9).

Despite acrid smoke from the building - containing 150 tonnes of bagged household rubbish - billowing across the industrial estate and part of the estate road being closed, surrounding businesses remained open.

Hambleton station manager Rob Horton said the fire was intense by the time eight fire engines arrived, shortly after 5am.

He said it was proving difficult to dampen the seat of the blaze, and crews would remain at the site for up to 48 hours.

Mr Horton said: “Part of the problem is that the material is so compacted that water is not reaching the fire, so we are removing material from the building and then spreading it out.”

He said it was too early to confirm the cause of the fire, but said he would not rule out it being triggered by similar factors to the blaze in 2011, which destroyed three buildings on the site.

An inquiry into the blaze in 2011 found it had been caused by a build-up of organic materials breaking down, creating heat, which had spontaneously combusted.

An investigation has been launched and will resume on Wednesday.

Philip Todd, FD Todd's operations director, said no one at the firm, which employs 55 people and operates its own recycling processes, had been injured.

He said since the previous fire the firm had worked closely with the Environment Agency and the brigade to put additional measures in place to minimise the fire risk.

Mr Todd said within hours of the latest blaze, it had launched a recovery plan and due to the location of the fire on its site, none of its waste recycling services would be affected.

He said: “When the fire happened in 2011 we took some important lessons from then and made plans and contingencies.

“It is testimony to the effectiveness of the plans and contingencies we made that the fire was soon brought under control.”