Asbestos warning after fire at disused Farringdon police station

Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service was called to the former Farringdon Police Station this afternoon, Thursday, February 20.

The building has been vacant for the last four years, since officers transferred to the neighbouring North Moor Fire station.

There were originally plans to turn it into a gym, but four years on it is still up for sale.

Crews were called to the site around 12.15pm today and nearby residents were urged to keep their windows closed as smoke drifted from the scene.

A Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service spokeswoman said: "We were called at 12.23pm and arrived at 12.26pm.

"The first floor of the building is heavily smoke logged.

"We are asking the public to keep away from the area and keep their windows closed.

Kevin Burns, station manager at Farringdon and Rainton fire stations, was the officer in charge: "We have five appliances here and one special appliance. That is 27 firefighters in total and two officers.

"We had a situation where a lot of rubbish is contained in the former police station on fire.

"That was on the ground floor and first floor."

When asked whether the fire service expected the cause of the blaze to be arson, Mr Burns said: "At this present moment in time I am unable to say, but it is more than likely.”

The situation was complicated by asbestos in the building.

Mr Burns said: "It is an old building so we have been working as partners with the building owner.

"We are aware that the building does contain asbestos so we are treating it as though asbestos is involved in the incident."

Concerns over the state of the building were raised almost two years ago.

The fire service is urging people to stay away from the building.

"It is unstable and it is in a very dangerous condition,” he said.

"Anybody going in there is putting their lives at risk and that is without the risk of asbestos contamination."