Officers relive desperate fire rescue attempt

"I tried my best to get in, but was hit with this wall of heat," said PC Brad Bowman, one of five Northamptonshire police officers who risked their lives during a fatal house fire.

Sgt Will Barr, PC Nik Hawke, PC Chris King, PC Lewis Desborough and Bowman tried to rescue three people from the converted railway station in Rushton in 2025.

Their courage was recognised as regional winners at the national Police Bravery Awards, but they cannot forget that a man, woman and child died in the blaze.

"The biggest thing for me is that I hope the family know there was a group of people doing absolutely everything they could to get to that family," said Barr.

"It still bothers me that we could not save them and I would do the same again if I had to."

The emergency services were called to the fire at about 22:30 GMT on 28 March 2025.

When the officers arrived at the scene, the large Grade II listed property in the village, which is near Kettering, was already engulfed in flames.

Bowman grabbed a first aid kit and ran towards the burning building, preparing to provide emergency treatment to any survivors.

Two British Transport Police officers were already assisting a survivor, who told them several people remained trapped upstairs after the internal staircase had collapsed.

The officer volunteered to climb a ladder positioned under an upstairs window in an attempt to reach those inside.

"The only way I can describe the heat was like opening an oven door and standing too close, but times it by a thousand," he said, after the intense heat radiating from the house forced him back.

Meanwhile Barr, Hawke, King and Desborough searched for another route into the house, smashing a window to gain entry.

The officers crawled through thick smoke as burning debris fell around them, while flames were coming through the floorboards.

"It felt like my cheeks were melting and I was fighting all the fear and pain in my body because the only thing on my mind at that time was to do what I can to get them out... their only hope was us," said Barr, who was a police constable at the time.

Then King shouted out that the roof was falling in, later saying: "In another 10 or 20 seconds, we would have been trapped."

Hawke, who was taken to hospital suffering from the effects of smoke inhalation, said: "Will's hair was actually steaming... the hair on my arms was singeing, the bottom of my boots had melted."

Beauty salon owner Emma Conn, 30, from Desborough, and her daughter Mayci Fox, four, and Louie Thorn, 23, died in the blaze.

Mayci was described by her father as a "free-spirited, fearless and loving little girl", while Ms Conn's family remembered her as "the most incredible, wonderful mum".

Football fan Thorn, who came from Rushton, "will always be the angel on my shoulder", said his father.

Inquests into their deaths heard they were killed by smoke inhalation and have been adjourned.

The incident continues to affect the officers, with Bowman saying "it sort of eats away that I couldn't save them".

Desborough added: "I still remember the incident like it was yesterday. My heartfelt condolences remain with the family."

Northamptonshire Police Federation chair Sam Dobbs said: "They ran towards a burning building, knowing the risks to their own safety, because their only priority was to do everything possible to save the people trapped inside.

"While the tragic outcome continues to have a profound impact on everyone involved, the actions of these officers embody the very best of policing."

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