According to the Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board (MFB), when fire-fighters arrived at the Heidelberg road facility at 6.14pm  the plant was full of smoke making it impossible to see the fire let alone fight it.

An MFB High Angle Rescue Team was deployed to the roof area of the 80m x 50m building to remove roofing iron so as to let the smoke escape and allow the fire fighting effort to continue.

When the majority of the smoke was removed, front end loaders and fork lifts were used to pull the bales of paper apart and extinguish the fire. It took more than five hours to contain the fire, which was still smouldering this morning.

The surrounding area was monitored for toxic smoke emissions but none were found.

According to national media reports the fire was the second at the plant in about four months.

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