Warning as fire breaks out at former shipyard
SMOKE could be seen for miles around after a fire broke out at the riverside in Hebburn.
The blaze broke out at around 3.40pm yesterday on the Hawthorn Leslie site, a former shipyard on Ellison Street. Thick black smoke could be seen rising into the air by passers-by in the South Tyneside town and beyond.
Families and businesses in the area were encouraged to keep their doors and windows closed by the fire service to stop smoke getting in. Police at the scene also set up a cordon.
The cause of the fire is not yet known.
A Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) spokesperson said yesterday: “At about 3.41pm today we received a report of a suspected fire at the rear of the shipyard in Hebburn.
“Three crews attended the scene and are in the process of tackling the fire. There is a lot of smoke in the area so residents and businesses in the area are encouraged to keep their doors and windows closed.
“Police are also in attendance and a cordon is in place.”
On May 1, firefighters warned locals to keep their windows closed as they battled for hours to gain control of a blaze on the Robert Frazer Industrial Estate, off Station Road also in Hebburn.