An investigation has been initiated into the fire that broke out at an RAF base early Sunday morning. Firefighting teams worked to extinguish a significant blaze at a Gloucestershire airbase, where a storage building at the RAF Fairford site was engulfed in flames.
The fire reportedly started around 1 am and has been labeled as ‘accidental’ by Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue. RAF Fairford has been used by the US Air Force since March for defensive operations following approval by Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
The base’s involvement in the Iran conflict sparked controversy, leading to a peaceful anti-war protest on Saturday near the site, drawing around 200 participants who marched to the end of the runway. Demonstrators held signs with messages like “US out of British bases” and “Stop Trump’s deadly wars.”
RAF Fairford is one of only two bases in Europe equipped to accommodate all three of America’s long-range bombers. The US Air Force confirmed that the fire has been contained without any injuries, assuring that there is no current risk to the base or local community.
Local community support has been acknowledged by the US Air Force, emphasizing the safety of personnel and surrounding areas as their top priority. An investigation is ongoing, with updates to be provided as new information arises. Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service reported that the fire, which affected a single-storey industrial storage building, has been safely controlled with no casualties. Crews remain on-site as a precaution while the fire investigation continues, indicating the cause as accidental.