“Firefighters and Oxfordshire County Council colleagues are at this time mourning the lack of two firefighters who misplaced their lives within the line of obligation whereas coping with a serious incident in Bicester (southern England),” the council stated in an announcement.
A member of the general public was additionally killed, and two different firefighters remained hospitalised with severe accidents after the blaze erupted Thursday night, stated the assertion.
“Devastating information,” Starmer wrote on X.
“My ideas are with their households and buddies. The bravery of our firefighters is astounding. Hoping these in hospital make a full and swift restoration,” he added.
Ten fireplace and rescue crews attended the hearth at former RAF base Bicester Movement, now residence to greater than 50 companies targeted on traditional automotive restoration and engineering.
Thick black smoke was nonetheless rising from the location on Friday, however the fireplace was underneath management, stated Rob MacDougall, Chief Hearth Officer at Oxfordshire County Council.
It is rather uncommon for UK firefighters to be killed whereas tackling blazes, and since 2010 solely 4 deaths had beforehand been recorded by the Hearth Brigades Union.