Man saves family after air conditioner catches fire in UK home

In Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, 54-year-old Gregory Lawless prevented a major house fire by quickly moving a burning air conditioning unit away from his home.

At approximately 2:50 a.m. on Sunday, August 16, Lawless woke up to flickering lights and discovered the appliance catching fire at the top of his stairs. Security footage captured him dragging the device down the stairs and out toward the front porch. Just seconds after he moved the unit outside, the device erupted in flames and exploded.

Lawless, a recruitment director, stated he acted on instinct to protect his wife, Ainsley, and their 10-year-old son, Jamison. He noted that he simply did what “any parent or partner would do” to ensure the safety of his loved ones.