Newcastle's Central Motorway to remain closed as five teenagers arrested following fire
Watch Julia Breen's report
Central motorway will remain closed until next week due to concerns about the structural integrity of a building which was damaged by a large fire.
Five teenagers aged between 13 and 16 have been arrested following the suspected arson at a disused building in Carliol Square, Newcastle.
The fire started at about 6:45pm on Wednesday 28 June.
Police say checks carried out to determine if anyone was inside the building have been negative.
However, the fire has severely impacted the structural integrity of the building, a spokesperson for Northumbria Police said.
It means the northbound carriageway of the central motorway will remain closed until the middle of next week - something which is already having an impact on people living and working in the city.
One taxi driver told ITV Tyne Tees he was refusing to take customers to Gateshead due to the length of time it was taking to return to Newcastle.
He said: "It's taking about an hour to come back. It takes a long time - there's only one lane."
Adding he had so far refused about 10 journeys, he said: "It's not nice."
Jill Duncan, floor manager of Carliol Square cafe Tiny Tiny said she thought business had been down about 40% on a normal Friday. She added: "It's usually quite bustling and busy on a Friday.
"Leading up to the weekend we usually get a lot more people in."
Police have confirmed they are treating the cause of the fire as suspected arson. Five people have been arrested as part of the investigation.
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.
“The fire has severely impacted the structural integrity of the building and so it remains unsafe to re-open the Central Motorway Northbound at present. We do anticipate the closure will continue into the middle of next week.
“This is so the building can be made safe enough for us to conduct a more detailed search and be satisfied that no one is inside.
“I would like to stress that this decision has not been taken lightly, but we cannot risk any debris falling onto the carriageway and causing catastrophic injuries to drivers.
“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.”
On the live investigation into the cause of the fire, Supt Armsworth added: “We are determined to establish exactly what happened and have been working around the clock with the support of our partners.
“We are treating the cause of the fire as suspected arson, and as a result of our extensive enquiries, five people – aged between 13 and 16 - have been arrested and remain in police custody.
“We are committed to ensuring those responsible are rightly brought to justice and I would like to thank everyone for their ongoing support and cooperation as our inquiries continue.”
A Newcastle City Council spokesperson said: “We understand that that the closure of the Northbound section of the Central Motorway is causing delays for commuters in and out of the city, however our priority is public safety and the road needs to remain closed until we are confident the site poses no risk to the public."
Group Manager Phil Sowerby, of Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS), said: “Our operation at the site of the fire has now concluded and our role is to support Northumbria Police with their investigation into the circumstances around the fire."
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