FIREFIGHTERS have been praised for their handling of a fierce house fire.

Flames were shooting across the road from the front window of a house in Richardson Street, Hartlepool, as crews arrived at the scene.

Sub Officer Ian Hendry, from Stranton station, said: "The lads who went in did an extremely good job in knocking the fire down to gain access. The heat was quite intense."

Ninety per cent of the lounge was destroyed, while there was heat and smoke damage to the remainder of the ground floor.

Cleveland Fire Brigade had received a call that people were trapped inside the building, which proved to be unoccupied at the time of the late-night blaze on Easter Sunday.

Mr Hendry said the fire was under investigation, although a dropped cigarette may have been the cause of the blaze.