The massive chemical fire in a warehouse on the banks of Stony Creek in Melbourne's west in August was the worst pollution event in a Melbourne river in three decades, locals have been told.

The blaze of illegally stored chemicals happened immediately upstream of the residential areas and parklands that Stony Creek flows through in West Footscray.

Darren Bennetts with fellow members of Friends of Stony Creek. They say their creek continues to be contaminated by industrial chemical spills. Credit:Justin McManus

During the fight to extinguish the fire, 10,000 litres of toxic waste and firefighting liquid spewed into the creek every minute.

It wiped out thousands of fish and eels, and bird life largely left the creek corridor. Today, there is mostly silence along the section of creek in West Footscray that once teemed with wildlife.