RAIL passengers suffered disruption on their journeys after a fire engine crashed into a bridge.
Network Rail had to close the line at Middlesbrough in both directions after the Cleveland Fire Brigade fire engine smashed into the underneath of the Boundary Road Bridge, near to the Zetland car park, in Middlesbrough.
The incident affected commuters travelling to, from and through Hartlepool as trains could not run any further south than Thornaby, so a return shuttle service was put on travelling between Thornaby and Middlesbrough.
The collision happened when the fire crew was travelling along Boundary Road, in Middlesbrough, when a pump on the top of the engine smashed into the bridge as it tried to travel underneath it at 11.07am today.
One firefighter was taken to hospital suffering from a broken collar bone but has since been released.
The force of the collision caused damage to the bridge and Network Rail called for engineers to attend the scene to assess whether or not the bridge and the line was safe for trains to pass.
It was still unclear whether the bridge would be re-opened at the time the Mail went to press.
Updates will be added to the Mail’s website throughout the day.