Trio who battled to save a life have won an Essex Police Federation Bravery Award

THREE Essex Police Officers from Chigwell and Grays who battled to save the life of a man trapped inside a blazing vehicle have won an Essex Police Federation Bravery Award.

Temporary Inspector Rebecca Lee, PC Larry Litchfield – pictured – and PC Scott Thomas attended a road accident in July 2018 in which a driver had ploughed his vehicle into a tree.

When the officers arrived at the scene near Tilbury Docks, the vehicle was ablaze with the driver trapped inside.

PC Litchfield tried to use the fire extinguisher from his patrol vehicle, but it had little effect on the growing fire. He then slowed the traffic down and managed to get a tanker to stop in order to use the larger extinguishers they carry.

T/Insp Lee and PC Thomas arrived on the scene and all the officers joined PC Litchfield in trying to douse the increasing flames.

The officers made repeated attempts to try and rescue the driver, but they just couldn’t get near enough to the vehicle as it was just too hot and too dangerous.

Despite their incredibly brave efforts, sadly the driver died on the scene.

PC Litchfield said: “I’m one of those that will just deal with whatever I’ve got in front of me and I’ll just assess it when I get there.

“I’ve never come across a fire that close up before, and how powerful it was. You just feel a little bit helpless that you can’t get this guy out.

“So, I stood in the carriageway, waving my arms, trying to stop a tanker from coming down and thinking that they’ve got a fire extinguisher and it would be quite a big one.

“I managed to get the tanker to stop. I went over to the car and tried to put the fire out. We still couldn’t get close enough and the fire extinguisher still wasn’t doing too much. We just couldn’t get to him.”

He added that it was bittersweet to be nominated for the Award “because there wasn’t a happy ending.”

Essex Police Federation Chair Laura Heggie said the officers had shown great courage and tenacity in trying to save the man’s life.

“It was a horrifying scene for these officers to come across,” she said. “The car was absolutely engulfed in flames and they did all they could to try and save the man’s life. Sadly, on this occasion there was not a better outcome.”

Laura added: “Police officers are much more than crime fighters and this trio were acting in the best traditions of Essex Police Officers.”

T/Insp Lee and PCs Litchfield and Thomas will attend the first ever Essex Police Federation Bravery Awards – which will combine celebrating 2020 and 2021 winners – this September. Overall winners for both years will be announced and they will go on to compete in the National Police Bravery Awards.

The Essex Police Federation Bravery Awards are sponsored by Uniform Mortgages.