Search teams will continue to scour the wreckage of a devastated mill today, looking for three workers still missing.
Fire search and rescue workers last night found the body of one of the four workers caught up in the blast and fire at the mill in Bosley, Cheshire, on Friday.
The families of William Barks, 51, Dorothy Bailey, 62, Jason Shingler, 38, and Derek Moore, 62, have been informed but the body has not yet been positively identified, Cheshire Police said.
All four were believed to be working in upper floors of the wood flour mill when an explosion and 1,000C inferno reduced the four-storey building to rubble.
Fire and rescue teams have been working non-stop to find the missing workers since the blast at around 9.10am on Friday.
But fire chiefs conceded that while they carry on the methodical search of the site, the chances of finding anyone alive are fading.
Cheshire Police said one body had been found but had not yet been positively identified by next of kin.
A spokeswoman added: “The four families who are awaiting news about their family member have been informed of this development and HM Coroner has been informed.
"The thoughts of all the agencies involved are with the families at this time and Cheshire Police are asking members of the media to respect the family's privacy as they try to come to terms with this latest development. "
Police and fire chiefs said yesterdaythe search would continue at daybreak in the hope of finding signs of life.
Paul Hancock, chief fire officer for Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: "The whole mental psyche of the crews down at the site is they are looking for people still alive. They will not give up hope until they locate these four individuals.
"The scene down there is one of complete devastation. We have a building that has exploded from the inside and subsequently collapsed in on itself.”
Details have emerged that council enforcement officers were on the site just two weeks ago to make sure the firm cleared the area after complaints of saw dust. The site was also struck by two fires, in 2010 and 2012.
Michael Jones, leader of Cheshire East Council, said: "We were on site two weeks ago clearing it up and they did well to clear it up. We will produce that evidence as and when necessary.
"We were there to clean up a situation of dust particles in the area, at the exterior to it, that shouldn't have been in there and we did clear it up and we have got before and after pictures showing what a job they did and they did comply completely with our orders."
Police said they would be working in the next few days with the company - which has yet to make any statement about the incident. They are holding a joint investigation with the Health and Safety Executive.
David Rutley, MP for Macclesfield, said: "I think its important to say the business does need to get involved with the investigation, because there are questions in the community that need to be answered, and today is not that day, today is about the families and in due course those questions, those important questions, will need to be answered."
The Boden family, which owns and operate the mill and associated companies, lives in a complex of three 17th-century farmhouses in Mellor, near Stockport.
There was no reply at any of the houses when reporters called for comment.
Firefighters are expected to remain at the mill site for a number of days.