A fire broke out at an airbase in Gloucestershire that is currently being used by the US military. Emergency services rushed to RAF Fairford in the early hours of Sunday morning to extinguish the fire, which caused the roof of a building to collapse.
Fortunately, there have been no reported injuries, and no RAF aircraft were damaged in the incident. However, the condition of any US equipment affected by the fire remains uncertain.
The US Air Force was granted permission by the Government to operate from RAF Fairford near the Wiltshire border amid escalating tensions with Iran. The airbase has been utilized for launching defensive missions against Tehran.
Protests have erupted outside the airbase in response to the US presence, with around 200 demonstrators gathering with signs denouncing war on Iran and demanding the removal of US forces from British bases.
Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed their response to a fire in a commercial building in the Fairford vicinity and advised residents to keep doors and windows closed due to smoke from the fire. The Ministry of Defence stated that the fire originated from faulty wiring in an old, unused building, further clarified by a US Air Force spokesperson, who confirmed that the building was unoccupied.
The spokesperson assured that there were no injuries, the fire has been contained, and there is no current threat to the base or the local community. An investigation is underway, with updates to be provided as information becomes available.