A man has died after a blaze tore through a Newcastle home and left smoke "billowing" out into the street, police have confirmed.
The 43-year-old man, who has not yet been named, was tragically pronounced dead after the fire brigade and police were called to a house fire on Northumberland Street, Wallsend, in the early hours of Saturday.
Police investigations are now under way to determine the circumstances of the man's death and the road remains taped off by officers. A statement from Northumbria Police, said: "Shortly before 1.30am on Saturday police were contacted by Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, who were dealing with a fire at an address on Northumberland Street in Wallsend. Officers and emergency services attended and sadly a 43-year-old man was pronounced as deceased at the scene. An investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death has been launched".
Read more: Wallsend police incident LIVE: Updates as forensics descend on street after huge flat fire
The North East Ambulance Service were called at 12.45am on Saturday to the flat fire, along with three ambulance crews and a clinical team leader. The end of the road remained closed off on Saturday afternoon.
Speaking to ChronicleLive, one woman who did not want to be named, said she saw smoke “billowing out” of the home in the early hours and said the man who lived in the flat frequently sat outside and played music. She said: “He's a really nice guy, he was only sitting outside just this week. He talks to everyone in the street, everyone knows him.”
One man, who lives on the street and also didn't want to be named, described the man who lived at the address as a “good kid”. He said: "He sat outside playing his music, he was quiet and seemed like a good kid. I knew nothing about it until I checked my ring door bell and saw there’d been a load of activity. It’s really sad, there was an ambulance parked outside my house and fire engines all in the street."
On Saturday, the end of the terraced street was still cordoned off by officers as police vans and cars parked nearby. Crime scene investigators could also be seen coming and going throughout the morning. The windows of the flat had been smashed and the front door had been removed with scorch marks being seen above the ground windows and front door.
The devastation could be seen as smoke could still be smelled around the flat and a door and other household items were strewn outside the property amongst broken glass. In the back lane, one police car was parked up with a single officer standing outside since 8.30am.
Inquiries are ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact police using the Tell us Something page on the Northumbria Police website, or by calling 101, quoting log NP-20221022-0078.
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