About one o’clock on Wednesday afternoon some passers-by noticed flames in the windows of the men’s outfitting department of the Rushden Co-operative Society’s drapery stores, High-street. In a moment the whole contents of the window were ablaze. The Fire Brigade were telephoned for. Meanwhile, fire extinguishers—one lent by Mr. A. Gramshaw and the other by the Picture Place—were fortunately handy and were used with good effect, and buckets of water were also thrown at the seat of the fire. After a few minutes’ smart work the flames were extinguished just as the Fire Brigade arrived with the engine and hose cart, under Capt. Knight and Second Officer Turner, Third Officer Colson, and Firemen Whiting, Bridgford, Timson, Bollard, and Jaques.

But for the prompt way in which the extinguishers were used by Mr. W. G. Willmott, Mr. T. E. Wigginton, and others the whole department must have been gutted, there being so much inflammable material about.

The cause of the fire is stated, thought not officially, to be through the fusing of electric wires which were being fitted for Christmas illuminations. The extent of the damage is not known at present, but is very considerable, the three plate glass windows being smashed by the heat.

Rushden Argus, 20^th December 1912

Outbreak of Fire
Rushden Co-operative Society’s Windows in Flames

A serious outbreak of fire occurred about one p.m. on Wednesday at the Co-operative Industrial Society’s premises, High-street, Rushden. Some passers-by noticed smoke issuing from the window of the gent’s outfitting department, and called attention to it.

The staff and other helpers quickly got to work with buckets of water, for by that time the light materials had become well ablaze. The Fire Brigade were telephoned for, and at five minutes past one they arrived with the engine and the hose cart, under Capt. Knight and Second Officer Turner, Third Office Colson, and Firemen Whiting, Bridgeford, Timson, Bollard, and Jaques.

The staff and helpers had been so successful that the engine was not required. In about half an hour the contents of the window were reduced to smouldering debris. The three large plate-glass windows were smashed by the heat, and the whole of the contents were completely destroyed.