Officers nominated for bravery awards after fatal house fire

Five Northamptonshire Police officers who risked their own lives trying to save three people trapped in a fatal house fire have been nominated for a national bravery award.

Sergeant Will Barr, PCs Brad Bowman, Nik Hawke, Chris King and Lewis Desborough have been recognised for their actions during the fire at a former station house in Rushton near Desborough on March 28th 2025.

Emma Conn, her young daughter Mayci Fox and Louie Thorn sadly all died in the blaze.

Officers have been recognised for their actions

When officers arrived, the property was already engulfed in flames. After learning several people were trapped upstairs, PC Brad Bowman climbed a ladder in an attempt to reach a bedroom window.

He said: “The only way I can describe the heat was like opening an oven door and standing too close, but times it by a thousand. All I was thinking was there are people in there and there’s a child in there the same age as my son.”

Meanwhile, the other officers searched for another way into the building.

After forcing entry through a window, they crawled through thick smoke as burning debris fell around them, but were forced to retreat when the roof began collapsing.

Sgt Barr said: “The biggest thing for me is that I hope the family know there was a group of people doing absolutely everything they could to get to that family. It still bothers me that we could not save them and I would do the same again if I had to.”

PC Hawke was later taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation after the rescue attempt.

Police in Rushton following the incident in March

The officers have now been shortlisted for the Police Federation’s national bravery awards, which recognise officers from across England and Wales who have shown exceptional courage in the line of duty.

Northamptonshire Police Federation chair Sam Dobbs said the officers had shown “exceptional courage”, while Chief Constable Ivan Balhatchet said their actions represented “the very best of policing”.

The national awards take place on this evening.