Just a handful of firefighters remained at the scene and a steady plume of dirty smoke stretched into the crisp winter sky.

Small patches of fire could be seen burning at the base of the factory floor, but the white and green colours of the factory had been burnt away to leave charred sheets of metal.

Employees from the neighbouring McCains factory were allowed to return to work, and as they drove through the factory gates each of them stared solemnly at the now unrecognisable wreckage of the Abbey Produce building.

The main company, which stands separate from the factory, was left relatively unscathed, but the shell of one car, perhaps belonging to an employee, stood outside.

Investigations into the cause of the fire will continue today.
Today, Martin Snell, who lives in Peterborough Road, not far from the factory, stood in his garden looking at the remains.

He said: "I had actually already left for work when the fire started, so I didn't get to see the full extent of the blaze.

"But when I returned last night, the air felt dirty, and the building was glowing. It is incredible to think something like that can be destroyed so quickly."

The site continues to be monitored by a number of agencies including fire, police, county and local councils, the environment agency and the health protection agency.

About two-thirds of the building has been consumed and the fire is being left to burn itself out in a controlled environment. The volume of smoke has reduced by around a third but continues to gather in a plume. With a change in wind direction from yesterday, the plume is expected to travel over Whittlesey towards March throughout the course of the day.

The advice remains the same. Any smoke can be an irritant and as such people are advised to avoid being in the plume. Residents affected by the smoke should remain indoors and keep their doors and windows closed.

Motorists who have to travel through the plume should keep windows closed, turn off air conditioning and keep air vents closed.
PCSOs from Cambridgeshire Constabulary spent the day yesterday in Thorney knocking on doors and advising residents about what to do as the plume travelled over.

Today they will be in Whittlesey carrying out a similar operation.
Two crews remain at the scene together with a turntable ladder and high volume pump. Two ground monitors are in use to help contain the fire.
The blaze was contained in the 100m by 80m commercial building, used to store medical supplies including gloves, cardboard, and liquid petroleum gas cylinders.

Dogsthorpe Station commander Nick Foster said: "It was structurally unsafe so crews had to fight the flames from outside the building using turntable ladders and hose pipes, which were plugged into the ground, and can be operated without firemen, to ensure that everyone stayed safe.

"This was one of the biggest fires that Cambridgeshire has ever seen."
Firefighters are expected to remain at the scene for a few days.

Special Report: Whittlesey factory fire, February 2008