POLICE are investigating a fire which involved more than 2,200 litres of oil being deliberately set alight.

Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service received reports of a fire in the open in Elton Park Business Centre Ipswich, in the early hours of this morning.

Two crews arrived at the scene, near the railway bridge in Hadleigh Road, at 2.30am and found 20, 200 litre drums of waste oil were ablaze before requesting back-up.

Half an hour later, crews reported they were using foam to tackle the flames.

The blaze was extinguished by 3.35am and the temperature of the oil drums was monitored with a thermal imaging camera.

Crews constructed a soil trench around the edge of the foam to contain any potential run off.

A Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service spokeswoman confirmed firefighters returned to reinspect the site at 7.30am and that the incident has now been closed.

The Environment Agency was informed by the fire service.

A spokesman said: “Fire is leading the investigation and we are aware of it.”

A Suffolk police spokeswoman confirmed the fire was started deliberately and officers are investigating.

Witnesses or anyone with information should call Suffolk police on 101.