A Wiltshire Police officer who used his bare hands to extinguish flames engulfing a woman at a busy Swindon shopping centre has been recognised for his bravery.
PC Elliot Alvis was among officers called to the Orbital Shopping Centre in Swindon on 9 January 2026 following reports concerning a distressed woman on the roof.
The woman had already been reported as a high-risk Missing Person" href="https://uknip.co.uk/topic/missing-person/" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked">missing person.
When officers arrived, she fled before dousing herself in a flammable liquid and deliberately setting herself alight.
PC Alvis recalled seeing the woman run in front of his police vehicle before she “suddenly went up in flames”.
With no time to spare, he and another officer immediately moved in to extinguish the fire.
PC Alvis used his bare hands to pat down the flames as they spread across the woman’s body, placing himself in significant danger.
He then helped remove badly burned clothing and provided emergency first aid for her serious injuries until paramedics arrived.
PC Alvis said:
“There wasn’t any time to think, I just acted on instinct to save her life and I’m sure that any of my colleagues would have done the exact same thing.”
The actions of PC Alvis and his colleagues have now been recognised with a Commendation at Wiltshire Police’s Force Awards, held at the force’s headquarters in Devizes.
They were told their rapid, decisive and selfless intervention prevented what could otherwise have been a catastrophic outcome.
The incident happened during the middle of the day at a busy shopping centre, meaning officers also had to manage the danger to members of the public while responding to the emergency.
PC Alvis, whose father was also a police officer, said helping people remains one of his main motivations for the job.
He added:
“I really enjoy my job and being able to make a positive difference to someone’s life, or help achieve a positive outcome for them, motivates me to keep putting in the effort.”
PC Alvis and the other officers involved have also been nominated for the national Police Federation Bravery Awards.
