AROUND twenty firefighters remain at the scene of a fire in a plastic storage warehouse in Oldham that started at the weekend.

Crews from Oldham, Chadderton and Hyde were called to Meek Street in the Higginshaw area at 2.43pm on Saturday, May 12, 2012.

Station Manager Ian Tracy said: "The warehouse was packed tightly with carpets, vinyl and foam, so when we arrived crews were faced with a very intense fire that was burning well.

"We had a large amount of plastic inside that was well alight and because of the way the metal roof of the building collapsed in on itself we had difficult job getting water onto the fire."

An aerial appliance allowed crews to get jets of water onto the fire which was giving off a huge cloud of acrid black smoke.

Station Manager Tracey added: "People would have been able to see the smoke cloud from some way away and working with colleagues from Greater Manchester Police, we got the message out to people in a neighbouring housing estate to shut windows and doors and to stay inside."

Crews from Oldham, Broughton and Gorton remain at the scene today (Monday, May 14, 2012) fighting the fire. 

Station Manager Tracey said: "Because of the difficulties crews faced over the weekend, including a burst water main, it is only since yesterday that our firefighters have been working with a demolition crew to expose the fire and get water onto it.

"The plastic meant there were lots of pockets of fire and although we had the blaze supressed and under control over the weekend it could be a day or so yet that we will remain at the scene to check that the fire is out completely."

An investigation into the cause of the blaze is underway, although it is believed to have been started deliberately.