New Deputy Commissioner for London Fire Brigade

In a change of leadership for the capital’s fire service, the Brigade announced that Assistant Commissioner Charlie Pugsley is the new Deputy Commissioner, taking on the role after the recent retirement of Dom Ellis.

With 28 years’ experience in London Fire Brigade, Charlie has worked in many roles over the years with a big focus on fire investigation – he is the National Fire Chiefs Council lead for FI as well as electrical fire safety where the Brigade is leading the way with its #ChargeSafe campaign.

Charlie’s work has covered a wide range of major fire investigations including spending many months on the incident ground following the tragic Grenfell Tower fire in 2017.

“Fire Investigation has taught me so much, not just about how fires start or spread, but especially about how fires seriously impact people’s lives. As an investigator, you get to spend a lot of time with the victims of fire, their families, neighbours and our communities.

“Time is spent at fire scenes but also at Inquests. Seeing people who have suffered a fire in the most challenging of circumstances, and witnessing their bravery in the aftermath is so humbling. It’s a stark reminder of why we must all continuously strive to provide the best service with equity.”

Charlie has also appeared numerous times live on national television to help amplify the Brigade’s public safety messages, including the Brigade’s work to make white goods safer with the Total Recalls campaign.

The previous Deputy Commissioner, Dom Ellis, recently retired after 35 years’ service.