One casualty after pan fire in South Shields

The blaze, which broke out at a flat in Halstead Place, was extinguished before the arrival of firefighters.

Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service confirmed in a tweet that one person was taken to hospital.

Their condition is not yet known.

A spokesman for Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service added: "We were called at 10pm last night to a report of a fire in Halstead Place, South Shields.

"Two crews from South Shields Community Fire Station attended and the stop for the incident was recorded at 10.17pm.

"This was a first floor flat within a block of flats.

"One pan and its contents was 100% severely damaged by fire.

"The remainder of the kitchen was 70% severely damaged by fire and 100% by smoke.

"The remainder of the flat was 70% severely damaged by smoke.

"The occupier of the flat self-extinguished the fire before the arrival of fire crews by turning off the heat source to the pan."