From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishpillar of dust/smoke/flame etcpillar of dust/smoke/flame etcCFa tall upright mass of dust, smoke, flame etc → pillar
Examples from the Corpus
pillar of dust/smoke/flame etc• There was a pillar of smoke then, too.• The incinerator became a roaring pillar of flame, its iron bars instantly glowing red hot. 