A Thames Valley police sergeant has spoken of how close he and his colleagues came to death, as they tried to rescue badly injured residents amid a fire and explosions at a residential caravan park near Windsor.
Nine police officers have today been awarded for their bravery in saving the lives of several residents at the Cranbourne Hall caravan park.
Sergeant James Greehy was one of those who responded to a major incident at the site.
Sgt Greehy said: “In all my years as a frontline police officer, this is the first time I have actually looked back and reflected that we could have all died or been seriously injured that night.
Police officers were awarded for their bravery
Thames Valley Police
“I can honestly say that every single officer’s actions that night came from and was acted on pure instinct and without a second thought for ourselves. We all did what we felt needed to be done to save lives.
“We were all there for each other that night, acting as one and a true team. To see that from my colleagues, especially with so many so young in service, makes me immensely proud of every single one of them.”
Thames Valley police has released dramatic body worn camera footage of the unfolding drama, as police, fire fighters and paramedics pulled injured residents to safety.
The incident unfolded in the early hours of January 2, 2021, after members of the public reported to police that caravans were on fire and exploding at Cranbourne Hall Park.
Nearing the end of their 12-hour-long late shift, every available officer was sent to the scene, as more reports from the public indicated the blaze was a major incident.
Knowing they were likely to be the first emergency responders on scene, Sgt Greehy, who was a PC at the time, drew on his previous experience from his time as a specialist search officer.
In commending the attending officers, Thames Valley police said that Sgt Greehy and colleague PC Adam Price gave advice on appropriate evacuation procedures, and set an emergency working strategy which gave a clear and precise plan for the team.
The officers recalled how approaching the scene, they saw the sky turn to a glow of orange with flames rising high into the air.
A group of police officers were the first emergency responders on the scene and arrived to dozens of bewildered residents lining the streets of the site.
Sgt Moore added: “This incident is one I will never forget which involved a whole team effort to bring this to a safe resolution. To be able to be commended for a small part in a much wider incident is a proud moment.”
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Thames Valley police has released dramatic body worn camera footage of the unfolding drama
Thames Valley Police
PC Price said: “I am very proud to be among my fellow recipients and am even more proud to know that we prevented a man from needlessly losing his life. To receive this award in front of my mother - who was also a police officer – makes this particularly special.”
One of those attending officers, Sgt Alex Moore said they immediately began giving instructions to residents to clear them back away from the fire.
Sgt Moore said he saw one victim sat in the middle of the road just a few metres away from the fire, which had engulfed an entire caravan and was spreading to a neighbouring van.
Despite the fire raging and spreading out of control, Sgt Moore ran straight past the blaze to reach the victim, followed quickly by PC Price and PC Dominic Spear, all putting themselves in harm’s way to carry him to safety.
Other officers and firefighters arriving on scene, continued giving first aid while evacuating the residents around them.
By this point, the fire was rapidly growing, spreading across other properties and engulfing the road.
The flames and heat were so intense, they cut off some of the officers and victims from the rest of the emergency services.
Sgt Greehy and another PC arrived along with the first ambulance at the entrance to the caravan site.
He said that as he and another officer immediately grabbed various medical packs and equipment and sprinted towards the blaze with the paramedics.
Knowing their colleagues were on the other side and in need of urgent medical help, the officers and paramedics ran through the fire to get to a casualty.
The flames and heat were so intense, they cut off some of the officers and victims from the rest of the emergency services
Thames Valley Police
They began fashioning a makeshift stretcher out of a board and limb restraints.
However, there was then a huge secondary explosion, after the blaze reached a 25-litre propane gas cylinder inside one of the caravans.
The officers recall how the blast sent an enormous fireball 50 metres into the sky and knocked several of them to the ground.
The blast caused debris to cascade down in all directions, narrowly missing the officers, who said if they had been struck, it would have almost certainly killed them.
They all continued to carry the victim for another 550 metres around the caravan site, so they could safely reach the ambulance.
The officers gathered themselves together as a team, checked for any injuries, and then ran straight back towards the fire to continue evacuating residents.
Thames Valley Chief Constable Jason Hogg said the “phenomenal actions” of the officers that night saved the lives of many of the site’s residents.
The Chief Constable presented special bravery commendations to Sergeants James Greehy and Alex Moore and PCs Jasmine Brewster, James Clifton, Adam Price, Peter Screen, Dominic Spear, Reece Stansbury and Rachel Walsh.
PC Clifton said: “I am extremely grateful and thankful to receive this award. Without the team’s hard work, alongside the fire and ambulance services, there’s no doubt more people would have been seriously injured, if not killed, as a result of this incident.”