RESIDENTS were evacuated from their homes after a ferocious fire tore through terraced housing yesterday (Monday, March 9)

Firefighters were called to Sherburn Village, near Durham City, at around 10am, after flames from an empty property spread to neighbouring houses.

The blaze at the bottom of Front Street quickly took hold in the roof spaces generating thick black smoke, visible for many miles.

The alarm was raised by former Peterlee Mayor Mary Cartwright, a taxi driver working in the area at the time.

Cllr Cartwright said: “I saw smoke and dialled 999 straight away. It was spreading really rapidly. There was a lady in the house and she ran back in to get her photographs. A young man and I went in to get her out.

“She got her pictures and wanted to go back for more stuff, but she eventually came out because it was getting really bad. We took her to her neighbour’s house.

“The wind was severe and it went from house to house in about 15 minutes.”

Just over two weeks ago, Cllr Cartwright rescued a three-year-old boy found wandering the streets of Sunderland in the early hours of the morning.

She added: “Being a taxi driver I am on the road a lot and you are aware of things happening around you and so you stop and help people.”

Investigators are now trying to establish the cause of the fire but it is not believed that it was started deliberately.

Six properties in the row suffered varying degrees of damage with the end property completely destroyed.

Residents were comforted by neighbours while emergency accommodation was found for them.

Neighbour Pearl Davison, of Smith Close, said: “I saw the flames shooting up and the fire just swept along the top of the houses. I saw the roof at the end house collapse. I feel so sorry for those that have been affected.”

County Durham Darlington Fire and Rescue Service, which tackled the fire using an aerial ladder platform, is now working with the police to establish the circumstances surrounding the fire.

Group manager Robin Turnbull said: “The fire was well established when we arrived. Travelling from the headquarters in Durham you could see how severe it was.”

A spokesman for Durham Constabulary said: “At this stage the cause of the fire has not been established, however we are liaising with the fire service and an investigation is under way.

“A considerable amount of damage was caused to the six properties affected but fortunately no-one was injured. Front Street was closed to traffic for much of the day but was re-opened at around half-past three.”