Moment hero police officer stops man setting himself on fire - halting horror explosion at Tesco petrol station

This is the moment a police sergeant prevented a potential disaster when he tackled a man threatening to set himself alight at a petrol station.

Sgt Charlie Thompson confronted the individual, who had covered himself in fuel and was clutching a lighter just metres from the pumps, in Stratford-upon-Avon last October.

He sprung into action at a Tesco forecourt, where the risk of a devastating explosion was described as "catastrophic".

The man had doused himself using a jerry can before Sgt Thompson intervened.

Officers arriving at the scene found him demanding to speak with various people, including the town's mayor.

Bodycam footage revealed the man issuing threats to set himself ablaze, giving emergency services a 15-minute deadline to act.

Sgt Thompson first tried to defuse the situation through dialogue.

"I will try and do what I can. I won't talk to you while you are holding a lighter. I will talk to you but not here," he told the man.

The officer urged him to move away from the forecourt, asking him to explain what had driven him to this point.

"We need to get you away from here. Tell me what's going on. You don't need to be doing this, what is this about?" Sgt Thompson pleaded.

As the man poured fuel over his head from the jerry can, the sergeant warned him to exercise extreme caution.

Moments later, Sgt Thompson charged towards the man, putting his own safety at risk.

He brought the individual to the ground in a swift tackle before his fllow officers immediately moved in to help restrain him.

A firefighter doused the man with foam to eliminate any chance of ignition.

Once the danger had passed, colleagues checked on Sgt Thompson's wellbeing.

BRAVE BRITONS - READ MORE:

• Hero van driver helps snare suspect by giving armed police a lift
• Teacher rushes into burning house to save neighbours despite building struck by lightning
• Train driver praised for remarkable act of heroism after leaping to rescue dog hanging off platform

"Yeah, yeah, I'm good," he responded casually.

The quick-thinking intervention by the sergeant and his team averted what could have been a deadly explosion at the forecourt.

The man was safely detained without any fire breaking out.

Sgt Thompson has now been nominated for the Police Federation National Police Bravery Awards 2026.

Acting Chief Constable David Gardner of Warwickshire Police praised the officer's response.

"We are extremely proud of Sgt Thompson who demonstrated incredible fortitude, empathy, and quick-thinking in his actions that day," he said.

"It is thanks to him, and the other officers on the ground that there wasn't a tragedy that day in Stratford-upon-Avon. He is more than worthy of the Bravery Award."

Sgt Thompson credited his colleagues for backing him up.

"I couldn't have done it without the team behind me - we co-ordinated, we worked together, and it was together that we stopped what could have been a terrible loss of life," he said.

Anyone who is in emotional distress, struggling to cope or at risk of suicide can call the Samaritans anonymously for free from a UK phone on 116 123 or go to samaritans.org.

Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter