An investigation has commenced into the fire incident that occurred at an RAF base early on Sunday morning. Fire crews worked to extinguish a significant blaze at a Gloucestershire airbase, where a storage building at the RAF Fairford site was engulfed in flames.
According to Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue, the fire started around 1 am and is believed to be accidental. RAF Fairford has been used by the US Air Force since March for defensive operations.
The base’s involvement in the Iran conflict has sparked controversy, leading to a peaceful anti-war protest on Saturday, attracting around 200 participants who marched to the end of the runway. Protesters displayed signs with messages such as “US out of British bases” and “Stop Trump’s deadly wars.”
RAF Fairford is one of only two bases in Europe capable of accommodating all three of America’s long-range bombers. The US Air Force confirmed that no injuries occurred, the fire has been contained, and there is no current risk to the base or local community.
Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service assured that the fire, which affected a single-story industrial storage building, was safely brought under control with no casualties. Crews remain on-site as a precaution, and the investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing, with initial indications pointing to it being accidental.
