Bravery nomination for officers who faced burning building

TWO South Yorkshire Police officers who entered a burning building – not once but twice – to check it was empty have been awarded for their bravery.

PCs Chris Beevers and Chelsea Rudge (pictured) attempted to save the life of 44-year-old Cy Cooper who had been violently attacked and left for dead on 29 July last year. The pair are now nominated for the National Police Bravery Awards in July. 

He had been kicked, stamped on and slashed across his neck, before his home in Bluebell Close, Wincobank, was set alight in a bid to cover up the crime.

The officers found him lifeless on the floor of his home and dragged him out of the building. They fought to revive him before paramedics arrived and then re-entered the smoke-filled property after spotting two men going inside.

One of the men, Paul Cain, 24, of no fixed address, was later jailed for a minimum of 21 years for Mr Cooper’s murder.

Mr Cooper had suffered more than 80 injuries, including 23 broken ribs. The men had apparently rowed over relatives and living arrangements before the attack. Cain claimed that he had been attempting to rescue Mr Cooper when asked to explain the forensic evidence found on his clothing.

Presenting the bravery awards to PCs Beevers and Rudge, Chief Inspector Richard Lambert said: “Bravery is doing something for the greater good despite the fear that you feel, to run in the opposite direction to everyone else, in the direction of the source of danger not away from it. To do so feeling the same fear that the others feel, but to put yourself potentially in harm’s way and still conduct yourself professionally and calmly.”

Ch Insp Lambert pointed out that, faced with a “well-established fire”, the two officers re-entered the burning building to ensure the safe evacuation of other members of the public already suffering from smoke inhalation. Despite the stressful situation, they remained professional at all times and continued CPR on Mr Cooper until specialist staff arrived.

On top of this, they had to deal with witnesses and family members at the scene.

“It is these types of incidents that make policing unlike any other job, and it is the bravery and professionalism shown by these two officers that make them extraordinary people,” he said.