Fire devastates auctioneer
BLAZE RIPS THROUGH OLD CHURCH RUINING BUSINESS
FIRE tore through a Tyneside auction house leaving the owner devastated.
Brian Cairns, owner of Jarrow Auction Rooms on Bede Burn Road, locked the doors of the former church at about 6pm on Thursday.
The owner was then awoken in the early hours of the following morning by a phone call from a neighbour, telling him smoke was billowing from the roof of his business.
More than 40 firefighters battled for hours to contain the blaze which has burnt the roof to ashes and left the building ‘100% damaged.’
Nobody was injured in the fire, and Mr Cairns, 55, has now spoken of his heartbreak at hearing the news his business was up in flames.
He said: “I’m just devastated, I spent my life building the business up. At 2.30am I got a phone call from a neighbour saying there was some coming out of the roof.
“I went down and was there all night. We just started clearing the storeroom upstairs as we were going to live there.
“The fire brigade will get someone around later when they’ve inspected the building.” Residents in nearby flats on Sussex Street were evacuated as a precaution after Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service received reports of a building on fire shortly after 2am yesterday. Bede Burn Road was closed off by emergency services as the fire raged in the early hours, while nearby Victoria Terrace and Park Road were also closed to traffic. At the blaze’s peak, 12 fire engines and 44 firefighters were called to tackle the fire. Speaking at the scene, station manager Andy Lillford confirmed an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the blaze. He said: “The fire progressed very quickly, and crews from nearby stations were are the scene within minutes of the call. “The building is 100% damaged. “The integrity of the structure will be reviewed over the next couple of days. “The cause of the fire is currently under investigation. “Firefighters will remain on the scene throughout the day dampening the building down. “We are working closely with our partners to ensure minimum disruption to the public.”
I’m just devastated, I spent my life building the business up Brian Cairns