Fire service arrived just four minutes after receiving frantic 999 calls about major Bridge Street blaze

Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue service took just four minutes to arrive in Bridge Street following frantic 999 calls as flames started to take hold.

The first 999 call to Balloon Bar in Bridge Street was made at 11pm on Tuesday (August 22) as the historical building - once home to the Angel Hotel built in the 1800s - began to burn.

It was just four minutes later that the initial fire crew arrived at the scene from The Mounts fire station.

By 11.18pm, two more crews from Mereway and Moulton also arrived at the scene as flames, embers and smoke began to pour from the derelict building.

At the height of the fire, nine appliances were on scene.

A spokesman from Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “The immediate priority was to evaluate whether there was any potential risk of life from fire, and after assessing the scene a number of firefighters in breathing apparatus were committed to conduct a search of the front of the building which was on fire.

“Once this was underway, we then moved to check the wider area and buildings nearby that were not on fire but may carry potential risks."

The spokesman continued: “As part of our information gathering and scene assessment, a Watch Manager was deployed to complete a 360 degree assessment that involves reviewing the scene from all sides. The size and layout of the incident meant that access to the rear was separated from the main building by a courtyard and was several roads away from Bridge Street to access."

At 11.34pm the fire service received information from Northamptonshire Police that a number of people had been spotted behind Balloon Bar.

Northampton woman Verity Lee told the Chron she watched on in horror as a group of young lads scaled a fence and began knocking on one of the windows of the flats behind the burning building. The man inside had no idea there was a fire.

The man, along with three kittens and the mother cat, were able to climb onto the fire escape to safety. It was thought one of the kittens was left inside.

The fire spokesman said: "When he reached the back of the incident, the Watch Manager found a man being removed from a building that was completely separate from the property on fire.

"He asked the people to leave the area. The man was assessed by firefighters and once it was established that he had suffered from some smoke inhalation, crews requested an ambulance."

The fire service have since confirmed that no other rescue operations were required in the vicinity.

The spokesman concluded: “The fire service was not required to rescue any people from the areas affected by fire but did however discover a kitten in the building on Wednesday afternoon (August 23) and requested the attendance of the RSPCA.”

Bridge Street remains closed at the time of publication while the former Balloon Bar lies in ruins next to the former Fat Cats bar which also burned down in 2012.

A local businessman has since purchased the two properties and has planning permission to build 44 flats and commercial units at a cost of £10m.

It is hoped that work will begin on the project next year, finally bringing an end to the scaffolding which has been propping up Fat Cats for the last 11 years.

Police are appealing for witnesses to come forward as fire crews continue to work out the cause of the inferno.