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 Palace – 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, though 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.