A major North East road has been closed after a phone mast burst into flames causing chaos for commuters.
Emergency crews were called to the scene of on the A1058 Coast Road westbound in Wallsend where a telephone mast had caught fire shortly after 4am on Thursday.
Northumbria Police and the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service were spotted at the scene with the road being closed off to traffic while they dealt with the incident.
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The blaze has now been extinguished with pictures showing a blackened phone mast overlooking the Coast Road. Police have launched an investigation into the cause of the fire.
A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: “Shortly after 4am today (Thursday) we received a report of a phone mast fire off the Coast Road, Wallsend.
“Emergency services attended and the fire was extinguished. Enquiries are ongoing to determine the cause of the blaze. The westbound carriageway remains closed as a precaution as further safety checks on the mast are carried out. A diversion is currently in place.”
A spokeswoman for Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service also confirmed their attendance at the scene earlier. Two fire engines were dispatched to the scene and the fire was extinguished, with crews leaving the scene before 6am.
A Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Spokesperson said: "We can confirm we received a call about a telephone mast on fire at 3:56am this morning.
"Two appliances, one from Wallsend and one from Byker, were on the scene in a matter of minutes to extinguish the fire.
"We will support the police with enquiries into the circumstances around the fire. Our crews left the scene at 5:38am"
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