Investigation under way into cause of devastating Sunderland care home blaze

Dozens of people were evacuated from The Croft, in Ettrick Grove, Sunderland, on Friday, June 26, after workmen spotted flames in the main building’s roof void.

Nearly 50 firefighters from across Tyne and Wear rushed to the blaze with some entering the premises while wearing breathing apparatus to rescue eight care home residents from the smoke-logged first floor.

Six people, believed to be two workmen and four care home residents and staff, were quickly taken to hospitals in both Sunderland and South Shields although their injuries are not thought to be life threatening.

Around 25 residents were also ushered away from the scene by staff to the nearby Holy Cross nursing and residential care home.

With safety cordons in place either side of The Croft until late on Friday night, first images of the blaze’s aftermath have only emerged on Saturday morning.

Our pictures indicate “extensive damage”, as confirmed by Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS), to the main building’s roof and a second-floor room.

The service has also said the nursing home will not be accessible for “some time” and that an investigation into the fire’s cause is now under way.

TWFRS area manager Richard Rickaby, who was part of the service’s team on Friday, praised the firefighters who rescued the residents and said the alarm was raised at around 10.30am by workers working on the roof.

He said at the time: “The residents had different levels of mobility. There was smoke throughout the first floor.

“The fire has spread through the roof void towards the annexe and front of the building. Smoke and possibly fire has then come down to the first floor.”

After eventually getting the blaze under control, firefighters remained at the scene until around 9pm on Friday night.

Nearby residents have also told how they first feared there had been a car crash or that nearby allotments had caught fire.

Retired buildings manager Brian Ford, 69, saw smoke appearing through the trees and added: “Suddenly there was a gush and you could see the flames shooting up into the sky. They were higher than the trees.”

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world.

But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper.

Thank you.

How to subscribe to the print edition:

It’s easy to subscribe to your local newspaper. We have arranged a special 20 per cent off subscription offer for people to take advantage of.

Visit www.localsubsplus.co.uk, choose the newspaper title, the type of subscription and enter your details.