A fire that destroyed a Cork rubber factory is set to burn for another two days as firefighters spent most of yesterday trying to bring it under control.
Kinsale Rubber Plant, on Farm Lane in south Cork was gutted by the fire. which started at 9.30pm on Wednesday night.
The alarm was raised by employees at a nearby factory.
Units from Kinsale, Bandon, Carrigaline and Cork city rushed to the scene to try and bring the fire under control.
Sub-officer with Kinsale Fire Brigade, Charles Henderson, said: "It was one of the worst fires I ever had to deal with.
"It was like a towering inferno. Sixty tonnes of rubber fed the blaze and covered Kinsale in a huge black smoke cloud," he said.
The firefighters spent all night trying to ensure that the fire did not spread to adjoining units.
The rubber-compounding plant, which makes rubber compound for tyre production, is Belgian-owned.
The plant's manager, David O'Dwyer, said the future for the employees was bleak.
"It was a traumatic night and I haven't a clue what the future holds.
"It depends on what they decide but the place is completely destroyed.
"The walls and roof have fallen in and all the machinery inside buckled with the heat," Mr O'Dwyer said.
For a time the nearby premises of Henry Good Ltd, Kinsale Candle Factory and boat building company Fitzgerald Marine were threatened. However the firefighters managed to contain it.
Courtney Good, chairman of Henry Good, said: "There was a serious threat to the building at one stage but luckily we have absolutely no damage."
Firefighters continued to dampen down the smouldering remains of the building yesterday.