Oxford: Police officers praised for house fire rescue

(L-R) Sgt James Woodcock, PC Ashraful Kamalee, PC Kerrie Ingham, PC Issy Batey, PC Emma Tennant and PC Patric Ward with their awards

Police officers who rescued a father and daughter from a burning building have been commended for their bravery.

PC Emma Tennant spotted flames in a first floor window at a house just off Cowley Road in Oxford shortly after 06:00 on 15 July.

Officers from Cowley police station battled the flames to save everyone in the house, including a 37-year-old man and his eight-year-old daughter.

Seven officers received awards from Thames Valley Police's chief constable.

Officers managed to get through the front and back doors of the house on Edmund Road to evacuate as many people as possible.

PC Tennant remained in the doorway, ensuring her colleagues were accounted for. The father and daughter were seen struggling to get down the stairs.

The house was on fire from the rear first floor window, with smoke pouring from the windows at the front and back

PC Patric Ward grabbed the child and brought her out of the house, allowing the father to get out too. They were followed by a teenage boy, police said. The father then said there was another person inside so Det Sgt James Woodcock and PCs Ward, Ashraful Kamalee, Daniel Hurst and Isobel Batey all entered the house, which was still on fire.Smoke filled the house as they searched the ground and first floors, before confirming that everyone had been accounted for.Several of the officers received treatment for smoke inhalation from the ambulance service at the scene.

The force said the fire was suspected to have been arson.

PCs Hurst and Ward will both be presented with a chief constable higher commendation.

PC Ward said the officers had made a good team."The whole team worked really well together to make sure all the occupants and officers got out of the house safely whilst also trying to fight the fire, before the firefighters arrived," he added.

PCs Kerrie Ingham, Batey, Kamalee and Tennant and Det Sgt Woodcock were also given commendations for their responses to the blaze.

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