Hero Essex Police officers win Royal Humane Society award

TWO heroic officers from Chelmsford are to receive a top national bravery award after they saved the lives of two elderly women.

PCs Paul Barry and Paul Downes will receive Royal Humane Society Testimonial on Vellum  – personally approved and signed by Princess Alexandra, president of the society.

The officers risked their own lives in the incident, which took place in December last year.

PCs Barry and Downes arrived at the blazing building in Humber Road, Chelmsford, in response to an emergency call. They were there before the fire-service arrived and decided to force their way in to try and save anyone inside

When the pair forced the door open, PCs Barry and Downes were met by a wall of thick smoke which thinned out towards the floor. They could hear the sound of fire from the kitchen which was next to the stairs.

Both officers went into the property on their hands and knees, shut the kitchen door and called out. They received a response from upstairs and went up. Visibility was down to just one foot but they found the two elderly ladies and managed to escort them out of the building – saving their lives.

Dick Wilkinson, secretary of the Royal Humane Society, said: “It takes incredible courage to go into a burning building. Anything can go wrong. But these two officers didn’t hesitate to take the chance and as a result they saved these two ladies from possibly being burned to death or choking to death. They richly deserve the awards they are to receive.”