Three people have been taken to hospital following a 'substantial' fire at a flat in North Shields.
Fire crews were called to Vicarage Street in North Shields at around 3.30am on Monday (January 16) after a blaze broke out at a terraced property. Personnel from the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue arrived at Vicarage Street, off Waterville Road, at the scene 3.29am.
Firefighters have been joined at the scene by crews from Northumbria Police and the North East Ambulance Service. Waterville Road has been closed in both directions between Cardonnel Street and Prudhoe Street as well as Vicarage Road.
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A cordon has been put in place with fire crews still remaining at the scene to tackle the blaze at the time of writing. Police cars and an ambulance service response van was also reported to still be present.
A TWRS spokesperson said: We've got a substantial flat fire just off Waterville Road in North Shields. Our crews are still there at the scene.
"We got the call at 3.25am. Our first crew arrived at the scene at 3.29am."
The North East Ambulance Service confirmed that three people have been taken to a local hospital for further treatment following the blaze at a private address.
A NEAS spokesperson said: "We received a call this morning at 3:27am to a private address in the Waterville Road area of North Shields.
"We sent three emergency ambulance crews, a clinical team leader, a duty officer and four Hazardous Area Response Teams. Three patients have been taken to a local hospital for further treatment."
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