A major fire broke out in the early hours of Sunday at Royal Air Force (RAF) Fairford in Gloucestershire, England, prompting a large emergency response and safety warnings for residents living near the base.
Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service (GFRS) received the call at 1:52 a.m. and deployed engines supported by neighbouring fire and rescue services to tackle the blaze. Residents nearby were urged to keep their windows and doors shut due to smoke produced by the fire.
A Ministry of Defence (MoD) spokesperson confirmed that no Royal Air Force personnel were involved in firefighting efforts, adding that the fire was understood to be inside an old or disused building within the base perimeter. Reports indicate the blaze heavily damaged the base’s former commissary building, a non-flight-line support facility, with the roof collapsing and significant smoke and flames visible.
No injuries have been reported and no aircraft have been damaged, though the extent of any damage to United States Air Force (USAF) assets remains unclear.
GFRS indicated the fire appears to have been accidental, though investigations are underway to confirm the cause. Crews remained at the scene as a precaution.
RAF Fairford is currently being used by the USAF as a primary forward operating location for strategic bombers, including B-1B and B-52H aircraft, as part of operations against Iran. On the day of the fire, protesters had marched from Fairford High Street to the base gates, carrying placards opposing the use of British bases in the Iran conflict. Authorities have made no connection between the protest and the fire.
