Henderson Hall fire sparks push for fire safety awareness

The Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) have produced Just a Normal Day, a short film based on the burning of Henderson Hall. Featuring accounts from fire investigators and youth justice workers, it aims to deter others from setting deliberate fires.

Henderson Hall, a derelict building owned by Newcastle University, was set alight by two 17 year old males in June 2023. The two teenagers entered the building  through a damaged window and set fire to a shower curtain, recording what they were doing on their phones.

The fire spread throughout the building, leaving it without a roof and causing around £15m worth of damage. Both teens were arrested and have been sentenced, one with a 6 month detention, the other with a 4 month detention.

Deliberate fire setting takes up a significant portion of Fire and Rescue Services time and resources, with fire fighters from TWFRS responding to 683 deliberate fires between October 17th and November 17th last year. This is nearly 700 incidents of fire fighters being called to entirely preventable fires, reducing their capacity to respond to other life-threatening emergencies.

While Henderson Hall had long stood empty, the fire left the building severely damaged and was deemed unsafe following the incident.

The push for further fire safety among the public comes ahead of the increase in fires expected during the Bonfire Night period.

Firefighters tackling the blaze June 2023

Most Read

This maddening Selling Sunset editing error proves how staged the ‘firing’ of Nicole was

Ok, here’s exactly what MAFS’ Keye actually does for work after ‘six figure salary’ comments

The wild transformation Selling Sunset star Bre Tiesi has had since fillers and cosmetic work

Rob Bosson, the Chief Inspector of Northumbria Police said: “We hope everyone across the North East enjoys the upcoming Bonfire Night period. As always, we’ll be working closely with our partners during this time to deal with any issues as they arise and to proactively prevent any disorder from occurring.

“But we’d also like to ask people to exercise some personal responsibility around what they are doing and how it might affect those who may not feel as comfortable with the darker nights. As a Force, our priority is to keep the public safe and our multi-agency operation is in place to do just this.

“Anybody who is concerned about anti-social behaviour in their area is asked to report it to us by speaking to an officer on patrol, by sending us a direct message on our social media channels, or by getting in touch on our website. If a crime is ongoing, always call 999.”