The blaze was in Queen-street and the van, belonging to Messrs. A. Abbott and Son, was outside the house of the town’s chief N.F.S. officer, S.C.O. Timpson. A delivery round had just been completed.

Mr. Archie Abbott and his assistant Mr. Frank Houghton, were preparing to move off when they saw a flame coming through the floor. As soon as they had jumped out the front of the van burned fiercely. There was time to remove milk bottles and other property from the back of the van, but in a short time the vehicle became a total loss.

Arriving within five minutes of the call being received, the N.F.S. played water on the wreck.

“We have about two wheels left,” said a member of the firm, on Thursday afternoon.

Rushden N.F.S., under S.C.O. Timpson, had another call on Thursday, sending a water tender to a house in Cromwell-road where a small hearth fire had been reported. On Wednesday evening they dealt with a chimney fire at Irthlingborough.