Newcastle's Central Motorway could partially reopen later this week after fire

A building which was damaged by fire last week will be partially demolished before a road can reopen.

The northbound carriageway of central motorway in Newcastle will be closed for the next few days but officials say they hope to partially open by the end of the week.

The road has been shut since last Wednesday after a fire, which is being treated as arson, engulfed a disused building near Carliol Square.

Three more people have been arrested in connection to the incident - bringing the total to eight.

The structural integrity of the building was severely impacted with fears falling debris could fall onto the road and cause a potential threat to life, forcing its closure.

The closure has caused traffic chaos for those coming into Newcastle city centre from the south with long tailbacks over the Tyne Bridge.

Now, there could be some good news for motorists as police aim to reopen one lane of the carriageway by the weekend.

The immediate priority is to make the building safe enough for detailed investigations of the property to take place. However, once they have been carried out, and any outstanding safety concerns are allayed, it is anticipated the road can re-open.

A partial demolition of the building has already been organised.

Chief Inspector David Wheeler, of Northumbria Police, said: “First and foremost, I would like to thank everyone across the North East for their continued patience and cooperation.

“We know that the closure of the central motorway has had a significant impact on road users in recent days, with increased traffic and widespread disruption across the region.

“This is not a decision that was made lightly, and everyone’s aim is to get the road back open as soon as possible. It is hoped that there will be a partial re-opening by the weekend, but I must stress that these are only current estimates based on the information we have, and could change.

“Ultimately public safety is paramount, and with the building in its current condition, we cannot risk any debris falling onto the carriageway and hitting vehicles or drivers. This could cause potentially fatal injuries.

“A huge amount of work is ongoing at the site between various organisations, and we will update you as soon as possible once it is safe to reopen the road.

“In the meantime, diversions remain in place and we’d encourage everyone to research their journeys before setting off, allowing extra time to get to your destination.”

A Newcastle City Council spokesperson said: “The building is in a dangerous condition so with the agreement of the police the council has asked a demolition contractor to carry out a partial demolition so the police can do their job safely.

“Once they have concluded their enquiries on site, the building will be handed over to the city council when we will progress its demolition. Once it is safe to do so, we will reopen the road.

“We appreciate this has caused some inconvenience to road users for a number of days now, however their safety remains our highest priority. The road will remain closed until it is safe to reopen it."

Anyone with information is asked to call 101 or report online via the Northumbria Police website, quoting NP-20230628-1077.

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