Shock and sadness after fatal house fire

NEIGHBOURS expressed shock and sadness after the death of an elderly woman in a house fire in Guisborough.

- By NAOMI CORRIGAN [e-mail] @NaomiCorrigan

Emergency services attended the property in Sandwood Park after the fire was reported at about 7.45pm on Monday.Police and fire crews remained at the scene overnight and a cordon was placed around the detached property. Cleveland Police and Cleveland Fire Brigade are now carrying joint enquiries to establish the cause of the blaze.

A shocked neighbour told The Gazette she became aware of the fire just after teatime.

“I heard shouting and it was my neighbours in the garden,” she said. “I got my coat on and rushed out. Everyone was terribly upset.”

She said the blaze was “like an inferno” adding: “You couldn't have got in. I rang the fire brigade but they said they were already on their way.

“They seemed to get all the flames out on the corner and, just when we thought it looked alright, the roof went up. They brought a big cherry picker and were spraying it from up high. Eventually the cherry picker ended up in the roof cavity.”