It appeared that Mrs. Lines left Rushden on Friday for a holiday. Mr. Lines remained at home on Friday night, intending to join his wife at Cambridge on Saturday. On Friday evening Mr. Lines locked up the shop as usual, and at that time everything appeared t be in order.

Mr. F. Cowley occupies the shop next door to Mrs. Lines as a wool repository, and it was there that the first signs of the outbreak of fire were noticed. About one o’clock in the morning Miss Elstow, sister of Mrs. Cowley, was

by the smell of smoke. Curiously enough, she had been dreaming that the place was on fire, and on waking up she found that her bed-room was filled with smoke. She at once aroused Mr. and Mrs. Cowley, and a careful search was made of the shop and premises, without any trace of fire being discovered. Being satisfied that the outbreak was not upon his own premises, Mr. Cowley ran round to his neighbour’s. Obtaining an entrance to Mr. Line’s by the back door he found that the shop was in flames, the fire having evidently broken out under one of the counters.

In arousing Mr. Lines, Mr. Cowley also gave the alarm to the residents in the immediate district, and a number of them were speedily on the scene to render whatever assistance was possible, among those helping to subdue the flames being Mr. R. A. Wheeler (butcher), Mr. Bert Sanders (manager of Messrs. G. S. Whiting and Co.’s music warehouse), Mr. Shelton, Mr. Robinson, and others.

With commendable promptitude buckets of water were procured, and the seat of the fire was attacked with energy and persistence. The utmost precautions were, under the superintendence of Mr. Sanders, taken to prevent draughts of air getting to the flames, and, as the water was brought in, the doors were promptly closed. Dense smoke made the work of coping with the fire an exceedingly difficult one, but the amateur firemen stuck bravely to their task. Meantime an alarm had been given to the members of the Rushden Fire Brigade, who made an exceedingly prompt response. The call was given at 1.13 a.m. by Mr. Robinson. Officer G.R. Turner and Fireman J. Whiting left the fire-station at 1.16 and arrived at the fire at 1.18, an exceedingly smart piece of work. They were quickly followed by Captain Fred Knight, J.P., Second Officer J. T. Colson, Firemen Claude Green, J. Sparrow, H. Payne, M. Wildman, and L. Bridgford. The hose cart was utilized, and in a short time the brigade succeeded in gaining the mastery over the flames.

In addition to Mr. Lines, an old lady of about 80 years of age was staying in the house. It was with considerable difficulty that she was aroused. Mr. Shelton and Mr. G. Robinson, finding that other means of attracting her attention were ineffective, climbed, by means of the shop blinds, to the front bed-room windows, and in this way she was made aware of the danger which threatened her. She was safely removed from the house, not, however, before she had received a great fright.

It is extremely fortunate that the fire was discovered in the earlier stages of its progress, for, if the flames had managed to get a good hold, a great deal of valuable property adjoining – consisting mainly of business premise – would have been endangered.

The fire broke out apparently underneath the counter in the fancy goods department of the shop. It is supposed that a light had been thrown down and had smouldered until it burst out into flame. A considerable quantity of stock was destroyed by fire and other goods were damaged by water. The counter was burnt, and a glass door in the shop was broken.

The damage, which is covered by insurance, amounts to about £200.

When the firemen were about to return home Captain Knight discovered a leakage from the gas, a T-shaped piece having melted during the conflagration, and gas was escaping at both ends. It is fortunate that the escape was noticed at the time it was, or a serious explosion would have taken place.

The firemen returned at 1.55, having done exceedingly useful work.