An investigation has been launched into the devastating fire which ripped through a former North Tyneside primary school.
Dozens of firefighters spent 10 hours in tough conditions at the disused Backworth Park Primary school which had been engulfed by flames.
Huge plumes of smoke could be seen rising from the vacant Station Road building with nine appliances in attendance at the height of the fire.
The blaze broke out at around 7.23pm on Sunday with firefighters arriving at the scene within 10 minutes of being alerted.
Eyewitness Shawn Gibbs, 30, told ChronicleLive: "I have never seen a fire that size before.
"I was driving past when I saw the sky was orange. I pulled over to take a look and the fire was massive.
"It was a huge shock to see the fire and all the firefighters there.
"It's scary that this has happened and it was developing very quickly. I was down there for around 20 minutes and it was getting worse."
No one was injured as a result of the fire.
Nearby residents were urged to keep their doors and windows closed as the fire service battled through the night to put the ferocious flames out.
Firefighters left the scene at 5.33am but officers have since returned to the site after an investigation was launched to determine the cause of the blaze.
Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service station manager Jeff Boath said: "Tynemouth, Byker, South Shields, Gosforth, Farringdon, Newcastle, Birtley, Gateshead, Swalwell, Sunderland, Hebburn and Wallsend crews were called to a fire at the former Backworth Park Primary School on Sunday night. This was a challenging fire, with crews working into the night.
"All credit to the professionalism of our firefighters and control team, especially as we had limited water supplies to extinguish the fire.
"Thanks to support from North Tyneside Council, Northumbria Police , Northern Powergrid and Northumbrian Water.
"An investigation is ongoing."
Pictures from the scene on Monday morning showed the charred remains of the building.
The fire has had no impact on the current school site where staff and students have been based since September 2018.
Phil Scott, head of environment, housing and leisure at North Tyneside Council , said: “We were alerted to a fire at the former Backworth Park Primary School at around 7.30pm on March 1 and subsequently members of our team attended the scene to help where possible.
"We shared messages on social media, advising residents to stay away from the area and those in the nearby vicinity to keep windows and doors closed.
“An investigation will be carried out by the fire service and we will then know the full extent of the damage.”
