FIRE destroyed an auction house in a former church building in the early hours Friday morning.
A dozen fire appliances, including an aerial ladder platform, staffed by a total of 44 firefighters, fought the blaze at Jarrow, South Tyneside.
It was reported to emergency services at the Jarrow Auction Rooms, in Bede Burn Road, at about 2.40am and it took about three hours to have it under control.
This morning ten appliances and two special appliances were called to a significant structural fire that took place in a former church in Jarrow
— Tyne and Wear FRS (@Tyne_Wear_FRS) November 24, 2017
The church is currently being used as an auction room we are currently still on site thankfully there have been no reported injuries. pic.twitter.com/06WNTvtXoP
Several fire crews remained at the scene into daylight hours to dampen down the charred remains, to ensure fire did not catch light again.
Only a few old timber beams remained intact in the former Methodist church, which is understood to have remained derelict in recent times.
Police put a cordon in place blocking off a section of Bede Burn Road, which will remain closed until about mid-day, with diversions via Reid Street.
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