Investigation launched by police and Fire Service following weekend blaze at Sunderland pub site

On Saturday March 25 firefighters were sent to the site of the Travellers Rest pub in Shiney Row, Houghton-le-Spring, after receiving reports it was on fire.

A Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said "We can confirm that just after 7:30pm we received a call about a fire at an unoccupied building.

"Our crews, two from Farringdon and one from Rainton Bridge Community Fire Stations, were on the scene in a matter of minutes to extinguish the fire.

"Thankfully no one was injured and the business attached to the unoccupied building was evacuated before we arrived.

"Our crews extinguished the fire and left the scene at 11:26pm.

"An joint investigation into the cause of the fire has been launched alongside Northumbria Police.”

Photographs from the night of the fire show smoke billowing into the sky with fire engines parked outside as firefighters battled to extinguish the blaze.

This morning (Monday, March 27) photographs showed damage to the roof with a police vehicle parked outside the building.

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A Northumbria Police spokesperson added: “Shortly after 7.30pm on Saturday (March 25) we received a report of a fire at The Travellers Rest pub in Shiney Row, Houghton-le-Spring.

“Emergency services attended the scene and extinguished the blaze. Thankfully nobody is believed to have been injured.

“Enquiries are ongoing alongside the Fire Service to establish the cause of the fire. Anyone with information is asked to contact police via the ‘Tell Us Something’ page of our website or by calling 101 quoting log NP-20230325-0996.”