A fire spread through a derelict college building after the blaze broke out on Friday afternoon.
A number of firefighters were called to the former North Hylton College off North Hylton Road in Sunderland just before 1.30pm after fire and smoke were spotted inside one of the empty buildings.
Neighbours living in the Marley Potts area were asked to close their doors and windows as heavy smoke drifted into the air.
Firefighters used the aerial ladder platform to lift them up into the air and attempted to douse the flames.
A total of seven crews and a command unit were called to the area to help extinguish the fire.
The vacant campus closed down in 2016 with Sunderland College students moving to a new multi-million pound base opposite Park Lane bus station.
There had been plans in place to demolish the buildings so the land could be used to build new houses.
A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: “At 1.28pm today we were alerted by the fire service to a blaze at the old campus building off North Hylton Road, Sunderland
“Emergency services are at the scene and fire crews are currently working to extinguish the blaze. A number of roads surrounding the premises have been temporarily closed to the public.
“Residents living in the Marley Potts area of the city are asked to ensure their doors and windows remain closed due to the resulting smoke.”
A spokesman for the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service said: “The wind is blowing smoke, therefore please close all doors and windows in the area.
“Now seven crews from Marley Park, Sunderland, Gosforth, Washington, Farringdon and South Shields, with the aerial ladder platform from Gateshead and our command unit are at the scene.”
