The London Fire Brigade (LFB) has confirmed the tragic death of one of its own in a devastating fire at a former RAF base in Bicester, Oxfordshire. The firefighter, a London Leading Firefighter/Sub Officer, was serving on retained duty with Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service when the blaze broke out on the evening of Thursday, May 15.
The fire claimed the lives of three people in total, including the London firefighter and a member of the public. Two firefighters were seriously injured and have been hospitalised following the incident.
In a statement released on Friday morning, the LFB said: “Following the terrible news from Oxfordshire… it is with great sadness that I can confirm that one of those who lost their lives is a London Leading Firefighter/Sub Officer.” The identities of the victims have not yet been disclosed.
The London Fire Brigade expressed deep sorrow and solidarity with the families, friends, and fire crews affected by the tragedy. They stated: “We are devastated by the loss of our colleague… We are working closely with our counterparts in Oxfordshire, providing support to the family and our crews affected by this tragic loss.”
Condolences were also extended to Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, which lost one of its own firefighters in the blaze.
Authorities are currently investigating the cause of the fire at Bicester Motion, a site located on a former RAF base that now houses commercial and heritage transport businesses. The incident is one of the deadliest for UK fire services in recent years and has prompted an outpouring of tributes across social media platforms.
Originally published by UKNIP.
