THE dehydrator shed of the Irymple Packing Pty Ltd was lost in a spectacular 20,000-pound blaze.

Firemen from Irymple and Mildura Fire Brigades were still pouring water into the burning ruin in the early morning after a three-hour battle.

Quick work by both brigades stopped the fire spreading to other sections of the packing company's premises.

The cause of the fire is unknown.

More than 1000 people, attracted by the blaze from Red Cliffs and Mildura, hampered firemen as they dragged 1200 foot of hose to the fire.

Firemen were forced back by acrid sulphur fumes when 10 ton of sulphur began burning.

Some of the firemen wore dampened handkerchiefs over their mouths to enable them to get closer to the burning sulphur.

Some of these were almost overcome by fumes.

The fire was first noticed about 9.20pm when Mr Ted Johnson, who lives in a house on the property, saw the glow reflected from a corrugated iron wall nearby.

Mr Johnson heard crackling coming from the dehydrator shed but believed it to be caused by someone moving sheets of iron.

He inspected the outside of the shed, but saw nothing suspicious.

There was no sign of smoke or anything else to indicate fire.

Irymple Fire Brigade turned on the alarm, but was hampered by poor water pressure until the booster pump was rushed to the scene and connected.

Mildura Fire Brigade was called out when the Irymple brigade saw that it could not control the blaze.

Quick burning stores in the shed, dehydrating racks and 3000 sweat boxes burned fiercely.

Empty drums exploded as the heat expanded them.

The roof collapsed with a roar and the inside was burning fiercely.

All of Irymple was lit up by the fire.

The firemen's biggest worry were the sulphur fumes.

They also had to contend with a surging crowd of onlookers who went dangerously close to the fumes and could have trampled children underfoot in a mad rush to get away if a change of wind had sent the fumes in their direction.