Three people have died in a house fire in a Northamptonshire village that also left three police officers injured.
Northamptonshire Police have launched an investigation after the blaze ripped through the former station house and listed building in Rushton on Friday night.
Police, fire and ambulance services were called to the property on Beswick Close at around 10.30pm following reports of a large fire, which shocked local residents described as an “inferno”.
Three people were later confirmed to have died in the blaze, while three police officers had to be taken to hospital after inhaling smoke. No further details on the age or identity of the victims has so far been given.
Images from the site, near Kettering, show a large hole burned through the roof of the building, which is a 19th-century former station and station master’s house, according to the Historic England website.
One neighbour told the Northamptonshire Telegraph: “It’s absolutely shocking. My lad said it was on fire. There was a man who had tried to get in who was outside. It was just an inferno. There were ambulance, police and fire.
“I don’t know the people who live there, but all we can do is hope and pray. It’s just tragic. It’s just horrible. The whole of the village is in shock.”
Rushton Parish Council vice chair Mike Brightman said: “It’s a very sad day for the village, losing some of our residents in such a horrific way.”
MP for Kettering Rosie Writing wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter: “I am saddened by this tragic fire and my thoughts are with the family and friends of those involved and everyone in the Rushton community. Thank you to the emergency services who attended the scene.”
Both Northamptonshire Police and Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service are investigating the cause of the fire.
Road closures remained in place on Station Road between Desborough Road and Oakley Road on Saturday morning, as well as on roads off Station Road.
People are advised to continue to avoid the area.
Following the fire at the building which borders railway tracks, train services between London St Pancras International and Corby, Derby, Nottingham and Sheffield were disrupted, along with services between Kettering and Nottingham. This was because of damage caused to the railway line, according to the National Rail website.
Police ask anyone with information to call them on 101, quoting incident reference 25000180391.
