Firefighters feared someone was trapped inside a house after a fire broke out in the early hours of the morning.
Two fire crews from Sunderland Central and one from Farringdon were called out to the house fire on Abercorn Road, in Farringdon, at around 5.45am on Tuesday.
It was believed somebody was in the house when a fire started in the living room but after a thorough search of the two-storey home it was found to be empty.
Two hose reels were used by 12 firefighters to tackle the blaze, which destroyed the living room and its contents.
The kitchen was also damaged by smoke and fire and the rest of the home was lightly smoke damaged.
A ventilation fan was used by firefighters to clear smoke from the building and two thermal imaging cameras were used to check for any hotspots.
A spokesperson for the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service said: "It was believed there may have been persons in the property but after a thorough search there were no persons involved."
Firefighters then left the scene after around two hours.
