Police investigating North Shields fire at 'cannabis farm' issue closure order at 'unsafe' building

It is now a criminal offence to enter an "unsafe" building in North Shields where a suspected cannabis farm was found, four days on from a shocking fire.

The Northumbria Police investigation into the blaze continues. Earlier this week the force confirmed the suspected cannabis farm had been discovered following the fire, which began shortly after 8pm on Monday.

Now, the police have put in place a closure notice after an assessment found the building was not safe to enter. This means it is a criminal offence to attempt to gain entry.

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The huge blaze lasted overnight with fire and rescue service personnel still "damping down" the fire until mid-Tuesday morning. Neighbouring businesses told ChronicleLive how the shocking fire had affected everyone in the Nile Street area.

On Wednesday, ChronicleLive saw the scale of the devastation - including how the building had been gutted by the fire. Inside the building, there was debris everywhere and what appeared to be cannabis plants were visible through the smashed windows and missing front door.

The police have also reiterated an appeal for witnesses to come forward with information about what happened. To so, contact Northumbria Police on social media, use the live chat or report functions on the force website, or call 101. Members of the public are asked to quote NP-20241125-0996..