THERE were dramatic scenes as a huge fire brought Durham City Centre to a standstill for hours on Wednesday.

Roads in and out of the city centre were left blocked after a huge fire took hold of the unfinished Milburngate development at around 2pm.

Huge plumes of smoke covered much of the city as bystanders were left in awe as the emergency services were scrambled to the scene.

The fire service said it had called on crews from right across County Durham including Newton Aycliffe, Spennymoor and High Handenhold near Stanley.

The Northern Echo: Picture: AUSTIN H/NORTHERN ECHOPicture: AUSTIN H/NORTHERN ECHO

The Northern Echo: Picture: AUSTIN H/NORTHERN ECHOPicture: AUSTIN H/NORTHERN ECHO

The Northern Echo: Picture: AUSTIN H/NORTHERN ECHOPicture: AUSTIN H/NORTHERN ECHO

The Northern Echo: Picture: AUSTIN H/NORTHERN ECHOPicture: AUSTIN H/NORTHERN ECHO

Witnesses reported seeing the fire rip its way through part of the construction site near to the new Premier Inn Hotel and former Passport Office.

One, who did not wish to be identified, was by the Odeon Luxe Cinema in the nearby Riverwalk development when they started to smell a fire.

They said: "I heard alarms going off [a] long time before fire. I work in Durham as a chef and it's normal to hear these each day. 

Read more: Huge fire breaks out in Durham - as emergency services on scene

Read more: Durham City Centre fire: As it happened 

Read more: The Milburngate development at the scene of the Durham fire

"I went on my lunch break and saw smoke and strong smell around cinema area with smoke covering the road where Milburngate roundabout is."

The Northern Echo: Picture: PETER WOODPicture: PETER WOOD

The Northern Echo: Picture: JACOB CUNLIFFEPicture: JACOB CUNLIFFE

The Northern Echo: Picture: IAN MAGGIORE/NORTHERN ECHO CAMERA CLUBPicture: IAN MAGGIORE/NORTHERN ECHO CAMERA CLUB

Meanwhile, Durham County Council road traffic cameras captured the scene unfold as roads including the A691 became gridlocked.

A number of further roads also became impassible with members of the public taking to social media and sharing several mile-long tailbacks on normally quiet stretches.

So far, the emergency services have confirmed there were no reports of any injuries, although one had to be treated for smoke inhalation while at the scene.

Tolent, which operates the construction site, has said the site had been safely evacuated and all members of staff accounted for.

The Northern Echo: Picture: IAN MAGGIORE/NORTHERN ECHO CAMERA CLUBPicture: IAN MAGGIORE/NORTHERN ECHO CAMERA CLUB

The Northern Echo: Picture: IAN MAGGIORE/NORTHERN ECHO CAMERA CLUBPicture: IAN MAGGIORE/NORTHERN ECHO CAMERA CLUB

The Northern Echo: Picture: IAN MAGGIORE/NORTHERN ECHO CAMERA CLUBPicture: IAN MAGGIORE/NORTHERN ECHO CAMERA CLUB

The Northern Echo: Picture: IAN MAGGIORE/NORTHERN ECHO CAMERA CLUBPicture: IAN MAGGIORE/NORTHERN ECHO CAMERA CLUB

The Northern Echo: Picture: IAN MAGGIORE/NORTHERN ECHO CAMERA CLUBPicture: IAN MAGGIORE/NORTHERN ECHO CAMERA CLUB

The Northern Echo: Picture: RICHARD BELLIS/NORTHERN ECHOPicture: RICHARD BELLIS/NORTHERN ECHO

The Northern Echo: Picture: RICHARD BELLIS/NORTHERN ECHOPicture: RICHARD BELLIS/NORTHERN ECHO

The Northern Echo: Picture: RICHARD BELLIS/NORTHERN ECHOPicture: RICHARD BELLIS/NORTHERN ECHO

The Northern Echo: Picture: MATTHEW DONACHIEPicture: MATTHEW DONACHIE

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