Quick thinking helped extinguish an inferno on the world's longest pleasure pier before it could become uncontrollable. 22-year-old UK resident Thomas Watson noticed a small flame and a lot of smoke coming up from the deserted Southend Pier and volunteered to extinguish it. He unzipped his trousers and relieved his bladder on it putting the fire off, thus killing two birds with one stone!

Details Watson was vacationing with daughter, partner when he spotted fire

His logic was simple: he thought the flames would engulf his family that comprised his 26-year-old partner Saeefa Chowdhury and their 15-month-old daughter. They were on the 2.1km-long pier when they noticed smoke and flames on the wooden planks around 7.30PM BST (12AM IST) on Friday. While Chowdhury got busy calling the fire brigade, Watson took matters into his hands, unsure of the results.

His act 'After one failed attempt, I kneeled and peed. It clicked'

"The problem was the wind was pretty strong. After one failed attempt, I kneeled and peed. It clicked," he laughingly recalled, adding the fire source might have been a lit cigarette. By the time Essex Fire Service officials reached, the fire was extinguished. They labeled him a "hero" for his act, said Watson, a massage oils salesman from Bedfordshire, almost 2hrs away from London.

Do you know? Offered free trip next time, but 'trousers should be intact'

Authorities have lauded Watson and offered him a free trip next time he visits the pier, provided "he keeps his trousers firmly secured." However, the "hero of the moment" thinks he deserves a free trip to 'Adventure Island', an amusement park in Essex.

Details Southend Pier made of wood has its share of fires

Councilor James Courtenay said since Southend Pier is made predominantly of wood, "it has faced its fair share of fires over the years, most recently in 2005, after which we installed a bespoke £2m (Rs. 17cr) sprinkler system." He further said their sprinkler system would have also worked, but "we understand the visitor deployed his own sprinkler system to swiftly extinguish the miniature inferno."

Data Pier runs on Thames Estuary, received maximum damage in 2005