FIRE under Darlington's newly-installed pedestrian heart caused the town centre to be cordoned off for the second time in six weeks yesterday.

Witnesses reported smelling and seeing smoke from the manhole cover in front of Gregg's, on High Row.

The fire brigade were called, removed the cover, and sprayed water into the manhole.

Reports from the fire brigade suggested the fire, just behind the new water feature, could have been caused by a chemical leak.

Onlookers said it was fortunate the fire had not broken out on Monday, when market stalls attracted hundreds of shoppers.

Police cars and fire engines blocked access for buses and cars at the bottom of Priestgate, next to the William Stead pub, and at Tubwell Row, opposite Bertie men's clothing.

Police cordoned off the area from Barclays bank to Burger King, along Prebend Row to Pizza Hut, then up to Binns.

On Tuesday, July 10, the town centre was cordoned off after fire shot 10ft from a newly-installed post outside Phones4U. It was caused by water entering a high-voltage cable, and left 528 people without power.

After the latest incident, Keith Weatherstone, a Darlington Borough Council employee, said: "There was smoke coming out of the cover as I was walking along High Row."

Another witness said: "The firefighters were spraying water into the hole, so there was obviously something on fire down there."

The £8.5m pedestrian heart was opened at the end of June.

A council spokeswoman said: "It is too early to say what caused the fire, but there is nothing to suggest it is linked to the incident a few weeks ago.

"An investigation will be launched to find out exactly what happened."