Brave pub landlord didn’t hesitate to wade out into dangerous freezing waters and carry woman from submerged car to safety after she was trapped for two and a half hours
A courageous publican who braved icy January flood water and carried a woman to safety from her submerged car has been nominated for a Pride of Britain Outstanding Bravery award.
Ignoring any personal danger, Cimi Kazazi, whose flooded gastropub, as well as surrounding houses in Great Glen, Leicestershire, were devastated by the deluge, waded out to the 63-year-old woman – who was trapped in her car close to death – and saved her life.
Yet he was speechless when he heard that, from thousands of life-saving champions, he had been nominated by a member of the public for this year’s Outstanding Bravery category at Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards with P&O Cruises.
The modest hero told The Mirror: “Wow, I’m honoured. But I must tell you, it was the lady next to my office who first noticed the person trapped in the car, and she shouted, ‘Jimmy, Jimmy, somebody needs help’.”
Alerted to the floods in the early hours on Monday January 6 by a neighbour, Mr Kazazi had been making sure people staying in his pub were safe, when he plunged into the swirling flood water to save the stranded woman.
“I didn’t know at the time, but the driver had already been trapped there for two and a half hours in the dark, and she told me that another 15 minutes and she would have passed out from hypothermia,” he said.
He had gone to the pub after a neighbour called him at home to tell him the ground floor was under water.
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“I was worried as we had people staying upstairs in the pub, so I needed to go and check the power was off and that they were safe,” he said.
“But when I arrived at 5.30am, it was still dark and raining and snowing at the same time. The water must have been -5 degrees. It was freezing and my legs felt paralysed.”
Twice he waded into the water to get to his property and help people. It was getting light and he was changing into dry clothes in his office when the trapped driver was spotted.
He recalled: “I was drying myself when I heard my name called, so I just went… boom… straight away. I didn’t think about how I was going to get her out. And also, when I went back into the water for the third time, I didn’t feel the cold.”
The rising water levels meant the stranded car was dangerously close to being submerged.
“I didn’t think about it at the time, but I couldn’t see what was under the water,” he said. “Not only was it freezing, but heavy benches had been completely moved by torrents of water. They were twisted like there had been a tornado.
“But I kept going and when I got to the car, the lady looked at me with disbelief because the water was nearly to the top of the glass. She opened her car door and I just lifted her up and took her back to the pub.”
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Upstairs, on the top floor of the pub, Mr Kazazi and some of the people staying there, helped to get her warm. “We had spare radiators in case the hotel rooms lost power, so we surrounded her with radiators and hot drinks and food and waited for help,” he said.
“But emergency rescue services couldn’t come with boats until the water had subsided by 9am, so I know the water must have been very dangerous.
“And when I was told another 15 minutes and she would have died, that’s when I felt proud.”
The rescued woman showed her thanks by visiting the flood rescuers and bringing food for 30-40 volunteers.
Mr Kazazi was grateful for all the help his business was given. “We had hundreds of people come and help clean up, and we opened our doors again to business after 11 days,” he said.
“I’m embarrassed, because now I have customers clapping me and postcards from all over the world congratulating me.”
Previous awards in this category have gone to mum Emily Greenwood, who swam out into dangerous riptides to save a boy and a man. And, the previous year, lorry driver John Rastrick pulled a woman from a burning car seconds before it exploded on the motorway.
Do you know a brave hero who has saved someone’s life without a thought for their own? If you do, please consider nominating them for a Pride of Britain award.
How to nominate
Brave heroes are at the heart of Pride of Britain, and over the past 26 years, some truly dedicated courageous people have inspired the nation.
If you know a hero who deserves an award, like the previous winners on this page, you can nominate them for:
EMERGENCY SERVICES AWARD
For police, fire, ambulance, paramedics or air, sea or mountain rescue who have gone beyond the call of duty.
OUTSTANDING BRAVERY
For adults who risk their own safety to help others who are in danger.
The Pride of Britain team will consider every nomination, before compiling a shortlist for the judging panel. Nominate now at prideofbritain.com