>Further inspection shows that the Insert command is being blocked on the SQL Server therefore causing the timeout. How can I find out what is causing the block on the database?
>
>TIA
>
Try

select * from sys.dm_exec_requests
where blocking_session_id <> 0

and check this thread

http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en/transactsql/thread/c8ac66b9-9f1d-4e2f-a6d8-3071a9fe4556