Overloaded socket sparks fire at Hartlepool house

It happened at a property in Winterbottom Avenue, in the West View area of the town, just after 2.30pm.

Two appliances from Hartlepool's Stranton station rushed to the scene but a neighbour had already managed to extinguish the blaze prior to their arrival.

The fire was due to an electrical fault which was caused when a socket was left overloaded in an upstairs bedroom.

Thankfully, there was no-one in the house at the time of the fire.

Two officers wearing breathing apparatus and using one hose reel cleared the house of smoke.

Crews were stood down just before 5pm.