Hero police officers rescue 'family and tiny baby' from burning flat fire

PC Emma Addis and PC Luke Bugdol were attending an incident in Masbrough, Rotherham, in August 2020 when PC Addis noticed smoke billowing from the stairwell of a nearby block of flats – the officers ran over and located a fire outside the door of a ground-floor flat.

They attempted to put out the fire with fire extinguishers from their vehicles, but it had no effect. In poor visibility and choking on the smoke, the officers continued up to the landing, attempting to get occupants out of the first-floor flat.

PC Bugdol forced open the door to the flat and safely evacuated the occupants – a woman, her four-week-old baby and two other children – by protecting them with towels. PC Addis carried the baby and escorted the woman, while PC Bugdol carried both older children over his shoulders. The woman and her children were unharmed.