POLICE and emergency services are still at the scene of an enormous factory fire in Adelaide’s north, which caused toxic black smoke to be visible for miles across the northern suburbs.

Forensic investigators will examine the scene to determine a cause, and police are investigating possible links between a stolen Suzuki station wagon set alight near the Edinburgh factory.

The Metropolitan Fire Service received a call about reports of smoke at Kaurna Ave in Edinburgh about 7.15pm and sent multiple crews to the blaze.

MFS Commander Stuart Dawes said up to 100 firefighters battled the blaze for several hours before it was extinguished. He told ABC 891 several firefighters suffered heat exhaustion and one was taken to hospital but he was in a “good state”.

Commander Dawes said a huge clean-up would be needed at the factory. “Everything is blackened and charred. It’s not a very pretty sight.

“At one stage we’d almost written it (the factor) off.”

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People have reported seeing the smoke as far away as Kadina. And a Port Augusta caller to ABC 891 said his car was covered in fine black soot from the blaze.

A witness posted a video on Facebook claiming the fire might have been started by someone torching a stolen car.

“It’s at Edinburgh Park — some plastic bin place. Someone stole a (Holden) Captiva and set fire to it, it’s burnt the grass and caught this factory on fire,” he said.

It is the second fire at the Maxiplas factory — a business that makes rain water tanks — in just three months.

In November last year, a man was fighting for his life in hospital after he suffered burns to much of his body from an explosion at the factory.

MFS media liaison officer Krystle Mitchell told The Advertiser last night there were “two acres of plastic bins on fire” and 14 MFS appliances and seven Country Fire Service appliances were on scene.

“(They are) using multiple hoses and ground monitors to extinguish the bins and protect surrounding premises,” she said.

“People are asked to stay away from the area due to congestion with emergency services vehicles and it is recommended anyone under the smoke plume to close doors and windows and stay inside.”

A statement from SAPOL last night advised the public to avoid the area.

“The fire at the plastics factory ... is creating thick, heavy, black smoke to be visible across the northern suburbs,” the statement read.

“MFS advise all residents north of the fire to close their doors and windows due to the toxicity of the smoke.

“Onlookers trying to see the smoke and fire are creating traffic hazards in the area for residents and emergency services.”

In an extraordinary video posted on Facebook of the fire, a person has captured huge plumes of smoke — and a crowd of people — watching huge billows of black smoke coming from the factory.

“It’s about 70C where I’m standing,” he said.