Stratford’s Red Watch firemen honoured for saving lives

Six firefighters whose actions saved the lives of a family of four during a blaze were honoured with bravery awards.

Six firefighters whose actions during a blaze saved the lives of a family of four have been honoured with bravery awards.

The crew, from Red Watch at Stratford, were called to a serious fire in flats in Upton Lane, Forest Gate, on May 10 last year.

The fire affected a shop with flats above it as well as parts of the ground floor and basement.

When they arrived at the scene the firefighters saw the family hanging from the top floor window, gasping for air, as smoke billowed out behind them. They used ladders to rescue the people. A woman collapsed and one of the firefighters resuscitated her until ambulance crews arrived.

They rescued six people and a further seven left the building before firefighters arrived at the scene.

The firefighters are Steven Blundell, Edward Darcy, Terence Sullivan, Neil Vertigans, Russell Brown and James Camp.

Each received the Assistant Commissioner’s Certificate of Commendation from Assistant Commissioner, Dave Brown, who told them: “You are to be congratulated for your skills.”

Mr Darcy told the Recorder that the people could have been overcome by smoke or asphyxiated had his crew not got there when they did.

Each received the Assistant Commissioner’s Certificate of Commendation from London Fire Brigade’s Assistant Commissioner, Dave Brown, who told them: “You are to be congratulated for your skills and for helping to save the lives of four people from this fire. Your professionalism and service to the people of London are a credit to the London Fire Brigade.”