npower in Rainton Bridge suspicious package discovery: what we know so far

Hundreds of staff members have been evacuated from a call centre following the discovery of a suspicious package.

Emergency services scrambled to the npower offices in Rainton House, Houghton, at 10.30am on Wednesday after the call centre received a package staff believed to be suspicious.

Hundreds of employees were evacuated as a heavy police presence descended on the npower office.

Staff evacuate building after suspicious package found at Npower

Northumbria Police confirmed officers were investigating at the scene but have been unable to provide any further information at this stage.

A police spokesperson said: “We can confirm we are in attendance at npower in Cygnet way in Houghton after they reported receiving a suspicious package.

“Officers are in attendance and inquiries are ongoing.”

Members of staff had been ushered to Rainton Meadows Arena while officers their enquiries.

Hundreds of employees have been evacuated from npower in Rainton House after a suspicious package was discovered. (Newcastle Chronicle)

An npower spokesperson said: “We can confirm that a potentially suspicious package was identified at npower’s Rainton House this morning.

"Following normal procedures, the building was immediately evacuated at 10.30am and the appropriate emergency services were called to investigate.

"While investigations continue, the safety of our staff remains our absolute priority.”

The npower office was also evacuated in 2017 following a bomb scare which led to a the bomb disposal team being dispatched.