Firefighters killed in business park blaze named

Martyn Sadler and Jennie Logan died in the fire at the Bicester Motion business park

Two firefighters who died in a blaze at an Oxfordshire business park have been named as Jennie Logan and Martyn Sadler, while a member of the public who died is David Chester.

Ms Logan, 30, Mr Sadler, 38, and Mr Chester, 57, from Bicester died after explosions were heard at Bicester Motion - a former RAF base - on Thursday.

Both firefighters worked at Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service and Mr Sadler was also part of the London Fire Brigade, Thames Valley Police said.

Two more firefighters sustained serious injuries and remain in hospital, Oxfordshire County Council said.

The fire was reported at about 18:30 BST on Thursday and rapidly spread through a former aircraft hangar at the site.

At its height, 10 fire crews were tackling the blaze.

The police have launched an unexplained death investigation, but are not currently treating it as a criminal matter.

Assistant Chief Constable Tim Metcalfe described the deaths as "an absolute tragedy" and said the thoughts of everyone at the force were with the families, friends and colleagues of those who had died.

Officers will remain at the scene for a number of days to ensure the public remain safe.

At the scene on Friday, a visibly emotional Chief Fire Officer Rob MacDougall said he spoke with "a heavy heart" when he confirmed the deaths.

He added: "Our thoughts are with the family friends and colleagues affected during this time.

"I'm immensely proud and grateful for the exemplary multiagency response and the unwavering bravery demonstrated by the emergency services personnel."

The fire broke out at Bicester Motion on Thursday and was burning into Friday afternoon

London Fire Commissioner Andy Roe described it as an "incredibly challenging day" for UK fire services and said it highlighted the high-risk nature of their work.

He said: "This is clearly an incredibly difficult time for us all; we have lost a well-respected and much-loved colleague who exemplified courage and selflessness in the service of others.

"Our thoughts are with all the families, friends, and colleagues impacted by this tragedy. We are doing everything we can to provide support to Martyn's family and colleagues."

He added: "Our sincere condolences go out to Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service who also sadly lost a firefighter at this incident, with a further two colleagues in hospital."

Bicester Motion is home to more than 50 specialist businesses, focused on classic car restoration and engineering on the former site of RAF Bicester.

It was home to RAF Bomber Command in World War Two and became redundant in 2004.

Bicester Motion's chairman Daniel Geoghegan paid tribute to "the three lives that have been lost".

In a statement, he said the firefighters showcased "the epitome of selfless service" and had "gone above and beyond under unprecedented circumstances".

Mr Geoghegan added that father-of-two Mr Chester, who ran family business Chesters & Sons, had "a long history with the estate".

"He joined us 12 years ago when we first bought the site and, with his wife and two sons, has been a pillar of our whole business community," he said.

"We considered him a member of our team, part of the fabric of our estate and a friend to us all."

"Our whole community used to say that 'Dave always had our back'. Yesterday, he was doing just that – the epitome of his selfless spirit," he added.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said his thoughts were with the families and friends of those who had died following the "devastating news".

He said: "The bravery of our firefighters is astounding. Hoping those in hospital make a full and swift recovery."

Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch described it as "an absolutely horrifying incident", adding: "I hope that we can get to the bottom of exactly what's caused this and make sure that it doesn't happen again."

Sherine Wheeler, chief executive of the Fire Fighters Charity, told BBC Radio Oxford everyone in the firefighting community was feeling "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.

"For a lot of people who serve in the fire service it brings the reality of the risks they hold crashing home."

Floral tributes have been left at the nearby Bicester fire station

People, including members of South Central Ambulance, have left floral tributes to those affected by the incident at nearby Bicester Fire Station.

Jamie Jessett, from the town, said he went to school with one of the firefighters who died.

He said the fire was "devastating", but also that it was "amazing" to see the community come together to pay their respects.

"That's what we need, especially at this moment in time," he added.

Officers will remain at the scene for a number of days to ensure the public remain safe