Arson investigation as train carriage destroyed by fire at Rushden Station

Train carriages at the Rushden Historical Transport Society HQ have been destroyed in a fire that is being treated as an arson attack.

Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service was called to Station Approach in Rushden at 6pm yesterday (Wednesday, April 17) to reports of a fire involving a vintage train carriage on the disused railway line.

From initial investigations it is believed that the fire was arson.

Crews from Wellingborough, Irthlingborough and Rushden were quickly on the scene and found that the carriage was ‘well alight’ on arrival and was spreading to a second carriage.

A spokesman for Northants Fire and Rescue said: “Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used hose reel jets to douse the flames and had managed to extinguish the fire by roughly 7.30pm.

"Crews had also gained access to the second carriage and removed cladding to damp it down.

“One crew remained on site until shortly before midnight, using thermal imaging cameras to monitor any hotspots before returning to their station.”

The main carriage involved in the fire has been destroyed, while the second carriage sustained severe heat damage. There was also fire damage to vegetation on the surrounding railway embankment.

The spokesman added: “Fire investigation officers will return this morning to carry out a full investigation into the cause, but initial findings appear to indicate that the fire was started deliberately.”

A spokesman for Northants Police said they were alerted to the incident at 6.13pm yesterday by the fire service, adding: “It has been recorded as criminal damage – arson, and is being investigated by officers working alongside NFRS colleagues.”