COOKS HILL FIRE

The Newcastle suburb of Cooks Hill was blanketed in smoke this afternoon when a town house caught alight.

Brigades were called to the brick town house in Council Street just after four o’clock, when smoke started billowing from the second floor.

The outbreak was quickly brought under control, before firefighters wearing breathing gear searched for any people inside.

It’s unclear what sparked the blaze, as it appears the house was unoccupied.