DOZENS of fire fighters were last night drafted in to tackle a blaze which took hold at a pet food factory.

DOZENS of fire fighters were last night drafted in to tackle a blaze which took hold at a pet food factory.

The alarm was raised after staff at the Nestle Purina Pet Care on the Chilton Industrial Estate in Sudbury noticed smoke coming from one of the factory's processing machines at 22.40pm last night.

All production was stopped and the five-storey building was evacuated.

At first, a single fire engine was from Sudbury was sent in, quickly followed a second unit from Sudbury and crews from Long Melford and Sudbury.

A turntable ladder was also sent in as was a control vehicle from Bury St Edmunds and a support team from Haverhill.

A spokeswoman for the fire service said fire fighters donned specialist breathing equipment and went up to the second floor to put out the flames, which had taken hold in a grinding machine.

Once the fire was out, fire crews checked other production equipment to make sure it had not spread elsewhere.

It is understood the fire was caused by equipment overheating.

Claire Robinson-Davies, spokeswoman for Nestle Purina PetCare, confirmed the fire had involved one of its grinders.

“The section was immediately closed down and all employees safely evacuated,” she said. “With the help of the local fire brigade, the fire was quickly under control.

“The majority of the plant was back in service in a matter of hours, with the affected section running again this morning. The source of the fire has been established as a blockage in the affected grinder.”