About 9 o’clock on Wednesday evening the Rushden Fire Brigade were called to a fire which had broken out in the front shop of Mr. Rollie Cox, under the pans in which fish and chips are fried.
The whole brigade under Captain R.F. Knight, were on the scene with the Dennis motor pump and the tender in a remarkably short time. They found the shop full of acrid smoke but they got the auxiliary hose in use in a matter of seconds.
The construction of that side of the shop from where the smoke was issuing made it awkward to get at the seat of the fire, but it was also fortunate that there was little of an inflammable nature beneath the pans, the gas being turned off.
Chemical extinguishers were used to prevent a spread of the fire from the fat. The smouldering material that was raked out of the recesses gave off such a strong smoke that the firemen were forced to get outside to breathe.
Meantime Mr. Cox, who had saved the till and done what he could to prevent any spread of the fire until the brigade could arrive, was painfully burnt about the hands and forearms. He was taken into the West End Club where first aid appliances were used.
Police Inspector Knight and P.C. Faram kept the large crowd from blocking the road of passing traffic. Other constables in private dress soon arrived, but were not required.
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