Hero firefighter honoured after helping girl on roof of Wigan mill

Martin Pike, red watch crew manager at Wigan fire station, went to Pagefield Mill in Swinley to help a 15-year-old girl.

She was standing on the roof of the abandoned four-storey mill threatening to take her own life.

After 20 minutes, he managed to convince her to step away from the edge of the roof and leave the mill with him.

Mr Pike’s efforts on November 13 have now been marked with a colleague recognition event hosted by Greater Manchester Fire And Rescue Service.

The afternoon saw the chief fire officer Dawn Docx, Bolton borough manager Lee Coleman, Wigan station manager Wayne Van Hecke and the two crews from red watch at Wigan come together to celebrate his life-saving deed.

Mr Van Hecke said: “What resonates with me on this incident was we all know the risks associated to Pagefield Mill and Martin put himself at a lot of risk emotionally of what he’s done.

“You have gone massively above and beyond your training and anything you would normally do in your day-to-day work.”

Speaking to Mr Pike and the red watch crew, Mr Coleman said: “It is absolutely out of this world the work you did, Martin.

“Each and every one of you do amazing work. Martin, thank you.”

The fire service holds colleague recognition events to give staff the opportunity to recognise a colleague, volunteer, business partner or young person for their hard work, achievement, life-saving actions or contribution to successful activities.

At the event, Ms Docx said: “What makes GMFRS the best service in the UK is the people and how they go above and beyond.

“Each and every firefighter in the service go the extra mile and therefore it is so important to do these colleague recognition events and show that we recognise our firefighters for the incredible work they do.”