Whitburn Lodge: South Tyneside pub damaged by fire
- Published
The fire took several hours to extinguish
A once-popular pub has been badly damaged after fire ripped through the venue, years after it closed.
Whitburn Lodge, on Mill Lane in South Tyneside, was left gutted and has partially collapsed after the blaze which broke out on New Year's Day.
Flames could be seen from the roof as a number of firefighters were on the scene for several hours putting the fire out.
Northumbria Police said it was now investigating the cause.
The aftermath of the fire at Whitburn Lodge
The force confirmed there had not been any arrests so far but inquiries were continuing.
The fire broke out at 16:35 GMT and closed the road.
After burning for about eight hours, it took 22 firefighters and six appliances to fully extinguish the flames.
Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) said they were on scene "in a matter of minutes" with crews called from Sunderland Central and Marley Park.
"Inquiries into the circumstances around the fire are ongoing but nobody has reportedly been injured at this time," a TWFRS spokesperson said.
"We want to thank the quick actions of our Fire Control and operational crews who responded so quickly and prevented the fire from spreading.
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