Dunston Staiths fire: Historic timber landmark in Tyneside devastated by blaze after suspected arson attack
Flames rip through 19th-century, Grade II-listed structure causing hundreds of thousands of pounds of damage
Your support helps us to tell the story
This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.
The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.
Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.
A fire which has partially destroyed a 19th-century north-east England landmark – thought to be Europe’s largest timber structure – is being investigated as arson, police have said.
The blaze ripped through the Grade II listed Dunston Staiths, in Gateshead, from 2.30am on Saturday morning.
The mammoth bridge-like structure was originally built in 1893 so coal dug from the area's mines could be dropped direct from trains onto ships on the River Tyne, and has become a much-loved visitor attraction since a restoration 30 years ago.
But the fire comes after months of fundraising to repair and renovate the structure following a previous blaze last year.
It is thought the new damage will cost hundreds of thousands of pounds to fix.
Detective Inspector Andy Gimza, of Northumbria Police, said: “We're treating this as a deliberate act of vandalism, so a criminal investigation has been launched.
"If you saw anyone suspicious in the area of the Staiths late Friday night or early Saturday morning, please get in touch."
Speaking at the scene, Andrew Smith, of the Friends of the Staiths group, said he had spent the night watching as fire crews worked to put the blaze out.
He added: "Initially I was really angry because we put so much time and effort in as a group, having had to fundraise after a previous attempt.
"But after watching the fire crews, me and another volunteer didn't say anything, I was just numb.
"After seeing the sunrise, and it was so beautiful, I started to think - we'll deal with this, one step at a time."
The Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service tweeted pictures from the scene overnight and said: "As you can see from these photos, the fire at Dunston Staiths was extremely serious.
"Put simply, deliberate fires put people at risk.”
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.