A MASSIVE fire that started on Wednesday raged out of control until yesterday (Thursday) morning, bringing traffic chaos on the A4147 St Albans to Hemel Hempstead road.

Smoke brought traffic to a halt and one lane of the road was closed as the fire at EQ Environmental Services took hold.

The fire is believed to have started around noon on Wednesday when a huge pile of green waste, which had been drying out, spontaneously combusted.

Firefighters from St Albans and Hemel Hempstead fought overnight to bring the blaze under control. They are warning it could continue to burn throughout the weekend and could smoulder for two weeks.

Speaking yesterday Leading Firefighter Radford Bristow, based in St Albans, said: 'The fire has proved impossible to put out due to its very nature. We have now got it under control and are monitoring it closely.'

EQ Environmental Services director Simon Lupson said: 'The burning material is natural green waste and is not polluting the environment.'