Newcastle city centre fire: Central Motorway to remain closed into next week following damage to nearby building

The Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service and Northumbria Police have issued an update regarding the recent Newcastle city centre fire which saw part of the Central Motorway closed.

The services have confirmed part of the main road will remain closed into next week following the incident earlier this week.

At about 6.45pm on Wednesday, June 28 emergency services received a report that a disused building in Carliol Square, Newcastle, was on fire.

Firefighters and blue-light colleagues worked tirelessly through the night to extinguish the blaze. Initial checks of the building were carried out to determine if anyone was inside and have so far proved negative.

However, with the fire having severely impacted the structural integrity of the building, the northbound carriage of the Central Motorway will remain closed.

Police are treating the cause of the fire as suspected arson at this time, and five people aged between 13 and 16 have been arrested as part of the ongoing investigation.

Read Newcastle's news on the go with our free email newsletters - bringing the headlines to your inbox. Catch up on the day's news and sport and enjoy even more from the NewcastleWorld team. Visit our website here to find out more and sign up.

Superintendent Neil Armsworth from Northumbria Police said: “This has been a complex operation and it has been a tremendous team effort by all our emergency service colleagues and Newcastle City Council to extinguish the blaze and ensure the safety of the public.

“Diversions remain in place, and we encourage everyone to research their journeys before setting off – allowing extra time to get to your destination.

“We know this is unwelcome news and will have an impact on many people’s weekend plans and we thank you for your ongoing patience and cooperation.”