POLICE are investigating two house fires that occured within minutes of each other on Monday evening.

At 7.25pm emergency services were called to a fire at a vacant property in Southfield Road. A road closure was put in place on Southfield Road between the junctions of Errol Street and Egerton Street to allow utility companies to conduct safety checks after the fire caused extensive damage to the property and adjoining buildings. 

At 7.40pm a blaze broke out at a house nearby in Haddon Street after someone gained entry to the property and lit a fire in a downstairs room.

An elderly gentleman was rescued by the Fire Brigade from an upstairs bedroom, and taken to James Cook University Hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation.

Cleveland Police said today: "We would like to hear from anyone who has any information which could help our inquiries into these fires which are currently being treated as suspicious."

  • Anyone with information is asked to contact Cleveland Police’s Major Crime Team on the non-emergency number 101.

Information can also be passed anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers via their website www.crimestoppers-uk.org or by phoning 0800 555 111.