Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service was first called to the site on Monday afternoon, with the scale of the incident escalating rapidly as flames spread through a large stockpile of baled cardboard stored inside a single-storey building.
By 6pm, 20 fire engines were in attendance, supported by crews from Lancashire, Merseyside, North Wales and Greater Manchester.
Specialist appliances including a high-reach extending turret, foam tanker and two high-volume pumps were also deployed.
Earlier updates from the fire service said eight fire engines had initially tackled the blaze, which involved around 700 tonnes of waste cardboard inside a building measuring approximately 50m by 50m.
It is understood that around 450 tonnes of waste out of an estimated 550 tonnes on site were involved in the fire.
The fire spread quickly, producing a significant plume of smoke visible across the surrounding area.
Residents and businesses nearby were advised to keep windows and doors shut as crews worked to contain the fire.
Firefighters were forced to battle the blaze externally due to concerns over the structural integrity of the building and the risk of collapse. Crews worked in three sectors to extinguish the blaze systematically, with relief crews brought in overnight.
Cheshire Fire and Rescue confirmed that all persons on site had been accounted for and no injuries were reported.
Road closures have been implemented on Everite Road, Hale Road and Ditchfield Road, urging motorists to avoid the area while emergency services remained at the scene.
Superintendent Sam Billington said: “A large number of officers are in attendance at the scene to manage road closures and provide reassurance to the community.
“While our colleagues from Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service tackle the fire, we would urge residents in the nearby area to follow their advice and stay indoors with their windows and doors closed at this time.
“I would also ask people not to congregate at the scene as it could hamper our response to this incident.”
The incident was stood down as a major incident before midnight, although firefighters remained on site overnight damping down hotspots and cooling burning debris with water jets.
At around 4am, the response was scaled back to three fire engines and three specialist appliances from Cheshire, alongside one specialist appliance from Greater Manchester.
Road closures around the immediate area remained in place this morning, with fire crews warning disruption could continue while operations at the site are brought to a close.
The cause of the fire has not yet been confirmed.
Crews were sent to another waste recycling facility fire in Widnes earlier this month, with nine fire engines and a range of specialist resources deployed to the scene.
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