Four people were taken to hospital after a devastating fire tore through all three floors of a home in County Durham on Friday morning
Emily Gray Community Reporter and Jade McElwee Content Editor
10:17, 03 Jan 2026
Extensive damage shown in the aftermath of a house fire on Richardson Way in Consett.(Image: Newcastle Chronicle)
Four individuals have been taken to hospital following a house fire. The blaze ripped through the roof of a home on Richardson Way, in Consett, County Durham, on Friday morning, January 2.
Emergency responders from Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service, The North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) and Durham Constabulary descended on the scene shortly after 9.30am to battle the flames, with plumes of smoke billowing from the rooftop.
A red and white cordon remained in situ on Friday evening, with firefighters expected to return over the coming days to assess the structural safety of the building. An inquiry into what sparked the blaze is now underway, though authorities are not treating it as suspicious.
Images from the scene reveal the devastating toll of the fire, which ravaged all three storeys of the property, leaving multiple windows charred and the roof completely destroyed.
Extensive damage shown in the aftermath of a house fire on Richardson Way in Consett.(Image: Newcastle Chronicle)The aftermath of a house fire on Richardson Way in Consett.(Image: Newcastle Chronicle)
A spokesperson for North East Ambulance Service confirmed: “We received a call 9.31am on Friday 2 January 2026 to reports of house fire on Richardson Way in Consett.”, reports Chronicle Live.
“We dispatched two ambulance crews and a crew from our Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) to the scene. Four patients were transported to the University Hospital of North Durham (UHND) for further treatment.”
Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that three appliances attended the scene. A spokesperson said: “At around 9.30am today (Friday), we received a report of a house fire on Richardson Way, on the Berry Edge Estate, in Consett.
“At its peak, three fire engines and an aerial ladder platform were in attendance, and we requested assistance from police and council colleagues to cordon off the area.
Extensive damage shown in the aftermath of a house fire on Richardson Way in Consett.(Image: Newcastle Chronicle)
“We left the area at 2.34pm but due to the extent of the fire damage, our crews will reattend over the coming days to ensure the building is safe. Investigation into the cause of the fire is on-going but it is not suspicious.”
A spokeswoman for Durham Constabulary said: “We were called to reports of a house fire on Richardson Way in Consett, shortly after 9.30am this morning.
“A cordon was put in place for several hours while emergency services worked at the scene. The fire is not being treated as suspicious.”
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