Huge church hall fire in Gateshead
34 firefighters tackle blaze in Winlaton.
Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service’s Control Room received a call at 5:30 am this morning (Tuesday 23 February) regarding a fire at St Paul’s Church Hall at Scotland Head, Winlaton in Gateshead. Firefighters arrived to find the single storey, stone built hall well alight in the early hours of this morning and the building has been completely destroyed by fire. At its peak, there were 34 firefighters, one officer, six fire appliances and one aerial ladder platform at the scene. Assistance Chief Fire Officer Chris Lowther, Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, said:
“Thankfully, no one was injured at this incident. Firefighters extinguished the fire using four jets and used the aerial ladder platform to tackle the fire from above. The crews also used our latest firefighting Cobra Cold Cutting Technology equipment which enabled them to rapidly cool the temperature of the hall, allowing firefighters to gain access safely. A number of firefighters will remain at the scene for a considerable amount of time to dampen down the building.” The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.