What might have been an unhappy repetition of the great fire at Rushden 20 years ago was narrowly averted last Friday night when the premises belonging to Mr. F. Simpson, tailor, in High-street, Rushden, caught fire.

Mr. Simpson had locked up as usual in the evening, when all was apparently safe, but at about 10.30p.m. Mr. W. J. Neville, who occupied the house and shop next door, was in his yard when he heard sounds as of a fire crackling in the next yard, and on investigation he saw what had happened and promptly got into touch with the Fire Brigade by the use of the telephone at the office of Messrs. J. T. Parker and Son, solicitors.

The Brigade turned out in record time, and were on the scene of the fire in less than ten minutes from receiving the call. On their arrival the premises were well alight, and it seemed absolutely impossible to save anything. However, by dint of much hard work and a plentiful supply of water the fire was overcome, and happily was confined to the premises in which it started. The back portion of the premises were absolutely gutted, but from High-street no one would suspect that anything untoward had occurred. Mr. Fred Webb, who occupies the shop adjoining, was warned, but fortunately nothing more than a quantity of water entered his premises. The fact that the fire was not devastating in its effect reflects much credit on the Brigade, who worked splendidly.

The origin of the fire can be traced to a lighted candle which had been left in the middle room on the ground floor. Mr. Simpson had been doing some work in that room and, on a customer coming into the shop, he left the candle, the door of the room closing automatically. When the customer left, it was time to close the shop, and Mr. Simpson forgot all about the lighted candle, as the middle door was closed. The candle evidently burnt itself out in a splutter, hence the outbreak of fire.

Capt. R. F. Knight was away from home on business at the time of the fire, and Second-Officer W. Packwood was in charge of the firemen. The first members of the Brigade were on the scene within five minutes of the call. Mr. Simpson, who was called by Mr. Neville, arrived on the scene just in time to prevent the necessity of breaking open the premises by the firemen. The fire in the front shop was extinguished as far as possible by playing on the flames through the doorway, which then left the back premises still ablaze. It was then found necessary to take the hosepipe through Mr. Neville’s shop and sitting-room in order to reach the fire at the rear of the shop, and this course was adopted, with very satisfactory results.

The Brigade members (some of them having retired to bed after a cancelled call from Wymington) who were at work on the fire, commanded by Second-Officer Packwood, were as follow: Engineer C. Green, Firemen C. Timpson, J. Sparrow, H. Payne, L. Britchford, A. Jaques, and J. Whiting.

The fire had just begun to burn through into Mr. F. Webb's premises in two parts of the thin partitioning wall, but was quickly stopped, a copious flow of water following to make the premises safe. Mr. Neville's premises were damaged by water.

The Brigade worked until about 2 a.m., and two members stayed on duty all night. The damage is estimated at about £1,000, which fortunately is covered by insurance. Mr. Simpson hopes to resume business at as early a date as possible.