Narrow Escape of Two Assistants
Heroic Work by the Fire Brigade – in Spite of Grave Damage - Splendid Pressure of Water
An alarming outbreak of fire occurred in Rushden on Wednesday evening on the premises of the High-street occupied by Mr Geo Miller, J.P., C.C., ironmonger. It appears that the young lady assistant, Miss Cooper, had closed the shop for the night, having locked the front door and drawn the shutters, and whilst engaged in closing up the back of the premises she by some means or other dropped a lighted taper on the floor near to the oil engine. The oil-saturated floor at once became ignited, and Miss Cooper immediately called for assistance to Master Don Bugby, who at once rushed to the telephone to attempt to call up the Fire Brigade. The call was put through, but before Master Bugby could give his message to the fireman in charge at the station, the flames burst through the wooden partition of the office, and finding his retreat cut off that way Master Bugby made his escape from the rear of the premises through the office window.
In the meantime Miss Cooper had rushed to the front of the shop to attempt escape that way, but although she managed to unlock the front door, she failed to raise the heavy shutters in front of the windows. The possibility of extricating herself from her perilous position by exit from the rear of the premises was impossible as the flames by this time were raging fiercely round the back door, but luckily Miss Cooper’s screams for help were heard by Mr Fred Webb, saddler, of High-street, who succeeded in forcing up the lattice shutter, thus releasing the terrified young lady.
By this time Mr W H Moody had succeeded in getting into communication with the fire station, and firemen Payne and Whiting arrived very quickly on the scene, with the hose cart and ladder truck. They speedily connected a hose to the hydrant near to the Coffee Tavern, and carrying it to the rear of the premises which by this time were ablaze.
On the arrival of other firemen another standpost was affixed to the hydrant opposite Messrs Whiting’s Music Stores, the shutters at the front of Mr Miller’s shop were raised, and another powerful stream of water was directed on to the body of the fire. The firemen, who worked magnificently, had many difficulties to contend with. The smoke and heat were so intense that the only way they could get near enough to the blaze to efficiently cope with it was by tying wet handkerchiefs over their mouths, and by working in relays, each section of men doing about four minutes at a time.
They were working, moreover, in considerable danger, as a fair stock of charged cartridges were in the blazing building, and as these ignited they exploded. By valiantly sticking to their work, however, the Brigade had obtained the mastery of the outbreak by 9pm, although the work of the firemen in front of the shop had been further impeded through the stream from the hose which was being worked from the rear of the premises drenching the men in a very few minutes. Some of the firemen, we understand, were actually knocked down by the tremendous force of the jet, the pressure, obtained direct from the hydrant, being about 90lbs. to the inch.
After the fire in the shop had been sufficiently subdued, a ladder was raised to the first floor window, and each of the upper floors in turn had a thorough dousing.
A subsequent survey of the damaged premises provided striking evidence of the efficiency of the work of the Fire Brigade, as it was noticeable that whereas the stock and fittings of the shop had suffered severely, the brickwork of the building and the roof had been maintained in tact. Adjoining property was, of course, placed in considerable jeopardy whilst the flames were at their height, and the efforts of the firemen were naturally largely directed towards the saving of the adjacent buildings occupied by Messrs Whiting and Co., pianoforte dealers, and Mr Wheeler, butcher, respectively.
Tremendous crowds were attracted to the scene of the outbreak, and valued work in controlling the excited populace was done by Inspector Osborne, Sergt. Brumby, Reserve-Constable Mantle, and members of the Rushden and Higham special constabulary. It was also noticed that some boys in khaki were lending a willing hand.
The Fire Brigade were under the command of Capt. F Knight, J.P., and Second-Officer G R Turner, and the men on duty comprised Engineer Claude Green and Firemen J Sparrow, J Whiting, L Britchford, H Payne, C Timson, J Wooding and A Jaques.
Owing to the splendid pressure of water, obtained direct from the hydrant, it was not found necessary to requisition the steamer, the terrific force from the hose literally beating out the flames.
The damage on the upper floors of the calcined premises was caused principally through heat and water. The work of the fire brigade was considerably facilitated through Mr C Smith and Mr W H Moody putting on the powerful lamps at the front of their shops. Slight damage was done to a piano on Messrs Whiting & Co’s premises, we understand, through water, and at one time it was feared that these premises might be involved.
The damage to Mr Miller’s stock and premises is, we are informed, covered by insurance, and for the time being Mr Miller will conduct his business correspondence from his private address, Cromwell House, Rushden, to which address all communications should be sent, when they will receive immediate attention.
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