Huge fire at Dunston Staiths under investigaiton
Tyne and Wear Fire & Rescue and Northumbria Police believe it was started deliberately
Last updated 17th May 2020
A major fire has broken out at Dunston Staiths on the Tyne - believed to be the largest timber structure in Europe.
It is thought the grade II-listed structure, opened in 1893 so coal could be loaded on to ships below, may have been deliberately targeted by arsonists.
The Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service tweeted pictures from the scene overnight which showed a huge expanse of the structure engulfed in flames.
Fire crews including the fire boat tackled the blaze from around 2am on Saturday and their work continued when the fire reignited later in the morning.
The Staiths fell into disrepair following the decline of the coal industry but have been restored and used as a visitor attraction, holding public events such as markets.
Northumbria Police's DI Andy Gimza said: "This fire has caused a significant amount of damage to this historic landmark.
"This incident sadly comes after months of fundraising to restore the structure following a fire in 2019.
"At present we’re treating this as a deliberate act of vandalism, so a criminal investigation has been launched.
"If you saw anyone suspicious in the area of the Staiths late Friday night or early Saturday morning, please get in touch.
"We’re also appealing to local residents who may have CCTV installed to check their devices.
"Any piece of information, no matter how small, could allow us to establish the facts of this case."
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