Major fire response as blaze hits condemned Kettering building

A major response from across the county has seen crews from Kettering, Wellingborough and Corby at the building in Job’s Yard this evening.

Five appliances as well as three fire cars and an ambulance are at the building which has already been condemned to demolition by a court following a high-profile case.

Our reporter is at the scene where firefighters with breathing apparatus have already entered the building.

A neighbour from Job’s Court next door to the building said firefighters had to break the lock to get into the building and extinguish a blaze.

It’s thought the first fire appliance arrived at about 6.45pm this evening (Friday, July 26).

It appears that the earlier reported fire is now out but there is still a huge emergency services presence on the scene due to the hazard posed to surrounding close buildings.

A National Grid van has also arrived to ensure the power supply is safe.

Owner Marcus Fielding arrived on the scene at about 9.30pm. He was wearing only one walking boot and said he had spent the evening at a local pub. Police confirmed they had been attempting to contact him for several hours.

Reverend Helen Wakefield-Carr minister at Toller church which sits behind the huge building said she’d been to the scene to see if her church was safe. She told our reporter: “I’ve just come down to see if our building is safe. Police and fire have said it is safe and stable.

"I can’t currently see any smoke. Whatever it was is gone. They’ve said I can go round and go into my building now.”

A Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue statement said: “We are currently dealing with a fire at a building in Dalkeith Place, Kettering.

“Five pumps and an aerial appliance are in attendance as firefighters respond to the incident.

“People are advised to avoid the area and local residents and businesses are advised to close doors and windows while the emergency services, including Northamptonshire Police and East Midlands Ambulance Service, respond to the incident.”

Locals had been concerned for many months about the impact of the building on their own premises.

It has been built without the correct planning permission and the builder and owner, Marcus Fielding, has been seen staying there overnight.

Earlier this year the council admitted that they had no powers to remove him from the building, even though he had been ordered to pay for its demolition by a high court order.

The emergency services have set up in Dalkeith Place because access to Job’s Yard is difficult.

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