Man fights for life after blaze
WITNESSES DESCRIBE LOUD BANG
HORRIFIED witnesses have spoken of hearing a “loud bang” moments before a devastating fire engulfed a house in Newcastle’s West End.
A 50-year-old man has been left fighting for his life after flames ripped through a terraced home on Wingrove Road, Fenham, in the early hours of yesterday.
A labrador rescued from the house had died by the time firefighters got it outside.
Residents on the street have spoken of their shock at waking up to see large clouds of black smoke billowing from the house.
Fire crews and police officers descended on the area shortly after 2am and cordoned an area off.
Witnesses watched in horror as firefighters drilled through the door to rescue a man who was trapped inside.
He was rescued from inside the property but is currently in a critical condition at the Royal Victoria Infirmary.
Eyewitness Azaam Gamy was walking past the property at around 2am when he described hearing a “huge bang”.
He said: “All of a sudden there was fire coming from the house - it was like it had blown up.
“The firefighters came within five minutes but the fire wouldn’t stop for ages - it just kept going.”
Josh, who lives on the house next door, was woken up by banging on the walls at about 2.30am.
He said: “At first I thought someone was trying to break in but then I looked out of the window and there was smoke billowing all over the road.
“We got everybody out of the house and stood over the road.
“There were about six fire engines and it took them a good 10 minutes to get in the house.
“There were loads of locks on so they had to drill a hole through in the end.”
Another resident, Cheryl Hall, said: “I woke up because a young lady started banging on the door saying there was a fire. There was absolutely loads of smoke - you could see it coming out of the roof.
“It’s sad, we often say hello to the man who lives there and he would always talk to the kids. “It’s a shame about the dog as well - to go like that is horrible.” Aliya Ashgar, who lives opposite the house, said: “It was terrible, I was so scared. “There were big flames on the first floor and then all of a sudden it just spread across - it was so big.” Amer Jamal, a neighbour and friend of the injured man, has also spoken of his shock. “He had been doing some building work for me recently. “He’s a lovely guy, I was just talking to him yesterday afternoon. I was working when the fire started - I got back at around 4am and part of the street was cordoned off. Apparently he never got off the first floor - they had to rescue him from there.”
More than 30 firefighters tackled the blaze for over two hours.
The fire service sent six pumping appliances, one command unit and an aerial ladder platform to the scene as well as 33 firefighters.
A spokesperson for Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service said that they received a call at 2.39am and the fire was extinguished by 4.55am.
She added: “It was a three-storey terraced property and the fire was located in the first floor living room which was 75% damaged by fire and heat.
“The second floor was 75% severely damaged by fire and heat and the ground floor was 100% damaged by smoke.”
Fire investigation officers are carrying out an investigation alongside police on Sunday.
A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: “Emergency services were called to an address on Wingrove Road, Newcastle, following a report of a fire at around 2.46am today.
“One male occupant was taken to the RVI in a critical condition.
“Inquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances that led to the fire.”
All of a sudden there was fire coming from the house - it was like it had blown up. Azaam Gamy