FIRE investigators are trying to discover what caused a huge blaze to break out at a disused sewage treatment works at the Yorkshire Water plant near Ponderosa Farm.
Sixty calls were made to West Yorkshire Fire Service alerting them to the incident at Smithies Lane on Wednesday night whose plumes of smoke rose for hundreds of feet and could be seen for miles around. Click on the link below to view our picture gallery sent in by readers or the video from YouTube by Errol Stevens.
Fire crews from Batley, Cleckheaton, Dewsbury and Odsal attended.
Batley Watch Manager John Jackson said: "We had to force entry to the fire which engulfed a concrete container filtration system full of thousands of plastic pellets which generated the smoke.
"After 40 minutes we requested that Yorkshire Water provided an earth mover which was a big help.
"The blaze was in a remote location and although it took place at a Yorkshire Water site water supplies, believe it or not, were not very good and we had to use Spenborough Beck.
"Apart from that it was not too difficult to put out though we finished the job at 3.30am.
"Police were called to keep members of the public from getting too near, there must have been around 100 altogether."
Yorkshire Water spokesman Matt Thompson said: "Arson is suspected and we are working with the police to investigate further.
"Although Spenborough Waste Treatment Works is disused it still operates as an automated pumping station.
"There was no disruption to any services and we would just like to thank the fire service for their brilliant assistance."
