An off-duty bin man who rescued three dogs from a house fire in Halesowen has been honoured by West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS) for his bravery. Tom Alexander and his family were invited to Haden Cross Fire Station for a presentation last week, where he received a Certificate of Meritorious Action from Assistant Chief Fire Officer Richard Stanton. He also had the chance to meet the firefighters who responded to the incident. In August, Tom was enjoying a quiet afternoon at home when he heard a commotion from a property just four doors away. Seeing a fire in a kitchen that had trapped three dogs, Tom entered the house without hesitation, rescuing the animals, isolating the electrics, and using a garden hose to extinguish the flames. Despite the obvious risk, Tom freed all three dogs and received oxygen therapy from fire crews, who arrived just four minutes later.
Reflecting on his recognition, Tom said: “I’ve been taken aback by receiving the award, to be honest. I just did what anyone else would have done—I didn’t expect to be recognised at all
“In the moment, I didn’t really think, I just helped. After freeing the dogs, I turned off the electrics and put out the fire, all in one moment.”
Watch Commander Leigh Raxster, who was present at the scene, said Tom’s actions were unlike anything he’d seen in his career. “In my 21 years on the job, I’ve never seen anyone do as much as he did in such a short time. “Tom took on the role of a firefighter that day without a second thought. A humble man, he did a brilliant job, and we were delighted to welcome him and his family to Haden Cross for his presentation. We—and many others—thank him for his courageous actions.”
