Judge's honour for brave bobby who saved residents from killer Willenhall arsonist
A brave bobby has been praised by a judge after he helped save residents from a killer arsonist by dragging a burning wheelie bin away from homes.
West Midlands Police Pc Paul Florey was patrolling in Wychbold Close, Willenhall, in the early hours of October 8 2012 following reports of a house fire when he spotted flames up to eight feet high lapping up against an external door.
Colleagues at the scene later arrested 20-year-old Aiden Elmore who admitted starting the fire and sparking another in Southey Close, Short Heath, where a pensioner died in a communal hallway after being overcome by smoke.
Elmore was jailed for life at Wolverhampton Crown Court last November where His Honour Judge John Warner praised Pc Florey for his brave actions.
And this week Paul ? who works with the emergency response unit in Walsall ? received an official Judge's Commendation.
He said: "It was just before 2am when a shout came over the radio alerting officers to a flat fire in Southey Close and reports of a man seen with a burning jacket in Wychbold Close.
See also: Arsonist jailed for life after murdering pensioner trapped in burning Willenhall flats
"I went to the rear of the block, kicked open the gate and saw a wheelie bin alight. I had no fire extinguisher but to prevent the fire taking hold any more I dragged it away from the UPVC door. The bin seemed to be wedged under the outward opening door so anyone trying to escape would be trapped inside by the burning bin.
"The door frame and ledge had melted and had I arrived a few minutes later I've no doubt it would have spread inside the premises and could have been fatal."
A patrol colleague handed Pc Florey a fire extinguisher from his patrol car to douse the flames, whilst Elmore was arrested just after 4am 'shaking and nervous' wandering along a nearby street.
Pc Florey added: "I've worked in front line policing for 11 years and, thankfully, these incidents don't happen often. I feel proud of what my shift achieved that night and am very grateful to the judge for his words of praise."
