A firenado is generated in a similar way to a tornado, but full of fire
The film shows a dazzling column of red-hot fire reaching high into the sky as black smoke billows up from a pool of flames at a plastic pallet factory, where the blaze broke out at about 1.20am on Tuesday morning.
As the camera tilts back to show the full height of the phenomenon, the whirling string of light appears to pulsate and bend as it is whipped by winds.
Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service, which helped the Derbyshire and Staffordshire services tackle the blaze, shared the video on Facebook, saying: "Whilst we were firefighting at Occupation Lane we witnessed a firenado or a fire whirl.
"It's created as cool air enters the top of the hot air causing a swirl similar to how a tornado is formed."
The blaze spread to a small site building and a number of fork lift trucks at the property, Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service said.
No injuries have been reported, but the enormous dark plume of smoke was visible as far as Nottingham city centre, 25 miles away.
At about 3pm on Tuesday firefighters were able to start damping down the fire, which had engulfed stacked plastic pallets, ordinarily used for making plastic crates for supermarkets.
Speaking while crews tackled the fire, the Derbyshire service's group manager Steve Wells said: "We've received lots of calls to our control room this morning, as people in the Swadlincote area have woken to the sight of a large black smoke plume.
"Crews from across Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Staffordshire have been working hard since the early hours of the morning, jointly with partners from the police, Severn Trent Water and the Environment Agency, to bring the fire under control, prevent any further spread and bring the incident to a safe and swift conclusion.
"Whilst the site of the fire is not directly next to any residential properties, we are still advising locals to keep their windows and doors closed until the fire is completely out and the smoke has subsided."
He added: "Anyone experiencing any discomfort or breathing difficulties as a result of the smoke should seek guidance from their GP."
Comment: The articles states that firenadoes are due to a temperature differential, but is that really the case? Or are we seeing a rise in a variety of phenomena around the world because of the electrical nature of this activity and the changing nature of our planet? Because, as noted in: Rare tornado touches down in Carinthia, Austria So when we take into account the rise in not just firenadoes, but snownadoes, deadly lightning and hail, and other strange sky phenomena, clearly other factors are at play than just temperature:
Firenadoes:
- Stunning video of wildfire turning into huge firenado then into waterspout along Colorado River in California
- Lightning hits whiskey factory, creates 'firenado' in Kentucky
- Amazing 'firenado' filmed near Cornelius, Oregon
- Amazing 'firenado' filmed at large trash dump blaze in Mexico
Snownadoes:- Winter tornado sighted on a snowy hill in Brixham, UK (VIDEO)
- Rare 'snownado' forms on Scottish mountain
- Rare snownado filmed at national park in Poland
Strange skies, deadly lightning and hail:- Changing atmosphere: Red sprites and a blue jet seen above Europe's stormy skies
- Lightning bolt kills 2 men in Finland
- Woman on morning walk killed by lightning bolt in Sweden, another person seriously injured
- Mother filming storm struck by lightning in Galashiels, Scotland
- Massive hail injures multiple people, kills zoo animals and damages 400 vehicles in Colorado Springs
Also check out SOTT radio's: Behind the Headlines: Earth changes in an electric universe: Is climate change really man-made?