Vine Place fire: Cause of blaze that tore through Sunderland city centre building revealed

Firefighters were called to Vine Place after a blaze broke out above The Pickle Bar and Kitchen, at around 1am on Saturday, October 26.

Firefighters from Sunderland Central, Marley Park and Farringdon attended the scene, alongside officers from Northumbria Police.

Crews used two jets, two hose reel jets and four breathing apparatus to bring the fire under control by 2.30am on Saturday.

A spokeswoman for Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that nobody was injured in the fire and said that they believe it was caused by an electrical fault.

A fire service spokeswoman said: “The investigation remains ongoing.

“However, at this stage it looks likely that the fire was caused accidentally, due to an electrical fault.”

Two rooms on the second floor above The Pickle were affected by the incident, with one was suffering severe damage in the blaze, while the whole second floor suffered smoke damage.

A cordon was put in place, while emergency services were at the scene and an investigation was launched into the cause of the fire.

Meanwhile a number of businesses will remain closed until further notice.

Speaking after the fire on Saturday, Adrian Jackson, Group Manager at Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, said: “There is no risk to the public.

“The businesses will be closed until further notice.”