The leader of the TGWU says an agreement reached by the Fire Brigades Union and employers yesterday was deliberately "scuppered".
Speaking to the BBC, Mr Bill Morris has refused to name the "mysterious hand" he believes intervened, causing the strike to go ahead at 9 a.m. yesterday.
Fire Minister Mr Nick Raynsford has defended the Government's handling of the agreement between the FBU and employers, saying: "If there is a mysterious hand it is mine."
He says a document faxed to him had shown that "suddenly in the middle of the night" the agreed way of assessing the savings from modernisation had changed.
"That was completely different and the suggestion that somehow some mysterious hand scuppered the negotiations is completely wrong," he said.
TUC leader Mr John Monks condemned the Government's "clumsy, shoot from the hip" approach to the dispute.
Ministers handling of the fire dispute have also been attacked by former government adviser Sir Peter Darby, who advised the Thatcher government after retiring as chief officer of London Fire Brigade in 1981.
Mr Raynsford was singled out for criticism by Sir Peter, who said the Fire Minister was "in another world".
He said: "A lot of people involved don't know what they are talking about. It really wants bringing down to earth."
PA