Inferno at former RAF base kills two firefighters in service's worst day for 15 years
The inferno at the 444-acre automotive complex in Bicester, Oxfordshire, claimed the lives of the service's Jennie Logan, 30, and Martyn Sadler, 38.
Civilian David Chester, 57, from Bicester, also died in the inferno.
Flames lit up the sky above the town during the 'apocalyptic' blaze. Smoke and ash were visible for miles around and residents in the area were urged to remain indoors and close their windows.
In emotional scenes, Oxfordshire Fire And Rescue Service's chief fire officer fought back tears as he confirmed the tragic losses at the scene yesterday.
Pausing to compose himself, Rob MacDougall said he was 'immensely proud and grateful' for the 'unwavering bravery' shown by the emergency services.
He added: 'It's with a heavy heart that today we report the loss of two of our fire officers. A member of the public has also sadly died in the incident.
'Two further firefighters sustained serious injuries and are currently in hospital.'
It was the deadliest single incident for the fire service since the 2010 Shirley Towers tragedy.
The latest tragedy led to an outpouring of grief, with the Prime Minister describing it as 'devastating'.
'The bravery of our firefighters is astounding. Hoping those in hospital make a full and swift recovery,' Sir Keir Starmer said on X.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch called the fire 'an absolutely horrifying incident' and said she hoped the investigation would reveal what started the deadly inferno.
'My heart goes out to the families of those people who have lost their lives... I hope that we can get to the bottom of exactly what's caused this and make sure that it doesn't happen again.'
Fire stations up and down the country lowered flags to half-mast and held a two-minute silence to honour their fallen colleagues.
It is not yet known what caused the ferocious blaze but Thames Valley Police has launched an unexplained death probe. However, the force said it is 'currently not a criminal investigation'.
Sherine Wheeler, chief executive of the Fire Fighter's Charity, said the entire firefighting community had been left 'heartbroken'.
'It's very rare and tragic to have the loss of two firefighters alongside a member of the public and I think the impact of that is being felt deeply,' she said.
Philip Garrigan, chief of the National Fire Chiefs Council, said he was 'devastated', adding: 'Our firefighters are the very best of us, their courage and compassion is what make them so very special.'
London fire commissioner Andy Roe said victim Mr Sadler was a leading London firefighter and sub-officer who was on retained duty with Oxfordshire Fire And Rescue Service (OFRS).
He added: 'We are devastated by the loss of our colleague and our thoughts remain with the families and friends of all those impacted by this incident.'
Ten crews were called to tackle the inferno at 6.39pm on Thursday. Smoke could be seen billowing across the town and as far as north Oxford – with residents reporting sounds of explosions, burning smells and ash raining down on them.
Julie Stocker recalled seeing the flames and noise from her home across the road from the site. She said: 'We could hear the crackle of the fire and then obviously the various explosions and stuff... the smoke was going very high.
'We were told to close windows and doors because there was potentially asbestos in the roof.'
Janine McKenna Jones, 48, described seeing 'black ash' near her home, adding: 'It felt very apocalyptic because you see the sky and there's this big black cloud of smoke.' Jake Bushen, 19, said: 'The biggest fire I have seen in my life. I saw it about 7.30am. It was going right into the horizon. It was quite scary.'
30-year-old Jennie Logan is one of the brave firefighters who died in the Bicester fire yesterday
Another local, Toby Roberts, added: 'I saw smoke from all the other side of Bicester at Whitelands. There were sirens blasting everywhere... I have lived my whole life in Bicester and never seen anything like it.'
Bouquets were placed outside the compound, where the fire had been brought 'under control' by Friday afternoon but a heavy police presence remained.
A poignant message left from Thames Valley Police read: 'To my Red Light Family, in memory of two heroes.'
The site, formerly known as Bicester Heritage, is home to more than 50 specialist businesses, focused on classic car restoration and engineering. In a statement Bicester Motion said victim Mr Chester was a 'close friend' of the site.
'There are no words... but our thoughts and prayers are with their families and loved ones. We pray for the two firefighters in hospital. The bravery shown by the emergency services teams has been overwhelming. We are grateful for all the support and the exceptional work by all in such unprecedented circumstances.'
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