POLICE have named the man who died in a house fire in Darlington yesterday.
He was Timothy Matthews, understood to be a teacher on Teesside.
"Following a fire in the early hours of yesterday in Lewes Road, Darlington Police can confirm the body of the deceased is that of 48-year-old old Timothy Simon Matthews," said the spokesman for Durham Police.
"A joint investigation with Police , Fire and Rescue has been concluded and is non-suspicious.
"Our thoughts at this sad time are with the family and friends of Mr Matthews."
Emergency services were called to a mid-terraced property in Lewes Road, off Neasham Road, in Darlington, at 2.50am.
Firefighters entered the house and found a man's body upstairs.
Several neighbouring properties were evacuated during the fire, amid fears it could spread.
Smoke could be seen rising into the sky from miles around and a large crowd of neighbours gathered to watch events unfolding before dawn.
By mid-morning, the scale of the damage could be clearly seen, with the roof of the property almost completely destroyed and just the outer frame remaining of the green front door.
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