Watch more of our videos on Shots!
and live on Freeview channel 276

For Lewis Simmons and Johnny Brown, it was an ordinary night. Heading back to Blackpool from Lytham after an evening out on Saturday December 23, they came across a gruesome scene: a luxury McLaren car which had smashed into a house in St Annes and burst into flames. Springing into action, the pair rushed out to help.

“Lewis immediately knew it was bad,” said Kenny Simmons, Lewis’ father. “It was just carnage everywhere - the car was on fire and one of the casualties had managed to climb out the window and get himself out the car, but he was stuck drifting in and out of consciousness and he couldn’t move because his leg was all broken.

“Lewis looked for the other passenger but couldn't see him - we now know he was thrown out the car, but the car was engulfed in flames,” said Kenny. “Lewis was speaking to the lad on the floor, but he was just saying that he could feel the heat on his back and Lewis was worried he’d burn to death, so he dragged him away from the car.

“Lewis did some first aid and monitored his responses, but he was in and out of consciousness,” added Kenny. “That’s when the house set on fire, so he asked his mate Johnny to monitor the lad and went to the house. Fearing that there was somebody inside, he picked up a brick and threw it through the window, but it didn’t break the glass property.

“He didn’t know what to do so he started using his elbow to break the glass - he’s lacerated his arm. He tried to get into the house, but he was beaten back by the heat and the fire. He went back to look for the driver, but still couldn’t find him, so he went back to his mate, who’d rang the police and the fire brigade.

“He was reassuring the casualty when the emergency services turned up.”

With the incident having occurred at around 2.35am on Heyhouses Lane, firefighting crews were in attendance for two-and-a-half hours, using four breathing apparatus, two hose reels, one thermal imaging camera, lighting, and a positive-pressure ventilation unit to extinguish the flames.

“Lewis is in the Army, he’s a paratrooper in the second battalion of the parachute regiment, and he’s been to places like Afghanistan, so he’s been exposed to dangerous situations in the past and he just took control of the situation,” said Kenny. “I know not everybody’s out of the woods yet, but I’m just glad that people are on the mend and that nobody was killed.

“I’ve said to him that he should be proud of what he’s done and the guy who Lewis pulled away from the fire has FaceTimed him to thank him - he said he saved his life because he could feel his body start to burn,” said Kenny. “If Lewis hadn’t dragged him out, he potentially could’ve burned to death.

“Lewis himself was in hospital for two days with his arm and then he went back on the 29th for an operation,” added Kenny. “He’s got stitches in it and it’s in a sling while it heals up, but he was concerned that he’d got nerve or ligament damage, but luckily he hasn’t.

“It was a horrendous incident, so I was really proud. I got the phone call to say he was in hospital, so I was concerned and fearing the worst, but once I spoke to him, I was really proud of his selfless commitment. He was straight in there.”

The two occupants of the car, both men, suffered a number of serious injuries and were taken to hospital for treatment. Police are still appealing for witnesses to the accident itself.

Police ask for witnesses to email them at [email protected] or telephone 101 quoting log 174 of 23rd of December 2023.

‘Proud’ father of Blackpool Army veteran praises son for saving man from burning wreckage of McLaren supercar

Comment Guidelines