Police probe after fire tears through house
RESIDENTS OF TERRACED HOMES ARE EVACUATED
AN investigation has been launched after a fire tore through a row of terraced properties in Northumberland.
Emergency crews were alerted to the blaze at the property at Chollerford Mews in Holywell from 7.20pm on Friday night.
Crews from both Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service and Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service were in attendance and it took five engines to extinguish the blaze.
Residents were evacuated from their properties as the fire engulfed a home with fears of the ferocious flames spreading to neighbouring properties.
Nobody was injured as a result of the incident, police confirmed.
Huge plumes of smoke could be seen coming from the fire as firefighters fought the flames using an aerial ladder platform.
Resident John-paul Fraser described seeing the blaze last night and the situation that ensued.
He said: “I noticed the smoke and could see it was slightly out of control.
“There appeared to be flames coming out of a wheelie bin at the back of a house and out of the conservatory.”
He added that a number of residents left their homes as a safety precaution with some elderly residents taking refuge at his home until family members arrived to assist them.
“I started panicking and knocking on doors. In one house, a gentleman climbed out of the window.
“In the end, I had basically everyone around my house until family members got here to support them.
“I immediately rang 999 and the fire brigade arrived on the scene within about 10 minutes, thankfully.
“It was nice to help and see everyone coming together even under those circumstances.”
Yesterday police were still at the scene and confirmed an investigation is now under way into the cause of the blaze.
A Northumbria Police spokesman said: “We can confirm that officers attended the scene after a house fire at Chollerford Mews, Holywell in Northumberland.
“No injuries or fatalities and an investigation is now underway to establish the cause.”
A spokesman for Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service said: “Crews from Northumberland and Tyne and Wear Fire Service were present at the call after receiving a call at 7.20pm.
“Five appliances attended and an aerial ladder was used. One appliance was from Tyne and Wear as was the aerial ladder.
“The fire was in the roof of a two story mid-terrace property and the cause is currently under investigation.
“No people were involved in the fire.”