ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

A roadside blaze could have turned into a wildfire without the help of a passing window cleaner who stepped in to help tackle it.

Andy Bragg, 64, was driving home from work in Somerset, UK with a colleague when he saw smoke and flames beside a country road.

"We decided to stop and use what water we had to help douse it down," he said "We were able to stop it going over the bank and into the woodland."

He added that there were multiple fires along the roadside at the time and another member of the public had already made a call to the fire brigade who arrived shortly afterwards.

The incident occurred near Buckland St Mary and Bragg was driving home from a job in Wincanton. He had around 200 litres of water on board, and this helped to contain the blaze before the fire crews arrived. They were then joined by a farmer with a slurry spreader who helped to dampen down hotspots.

The fact that Bragg had previously spent seven years working as a reserve firefighter meant he was able to think quickly and react promptly during the incident. "But I think anyone else in the same situation would have done the same," he added.

Somerset fire station issued a social media appeal in a bid to identify the "Good Samaritan" shortly after the event. They wrote: "Your quick thinking and efforts made a real difference and the team at Chard Fire Station would love to get in touch to properly say thank you."