Around 140 vehicles have been destroyed after a huge fire tore through a business park used for holiday parking near Gatwick Airport, leaving travellers facing the prospect of returning from trips to find their cars gone.
A 67-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of arson following the blaze at Caldyne Business Park in Rowfant, West Sussex. Sussex Police said he has since been released on bail while enquiries continue.
The fire was not at Gatwick Airport itself. The business park is around eight miles from the airport and the parking operation is independent of London Gatwick.
Fire breaks out at Caldyne Business Park
Emergency services were called to Caldyne Business Park, on Wallage Lane near Crawley, shortly after 9pm on Saturday 22 August.
West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service described the incident as a “significant and complex” fire involving a workshop, a large number of vehicles and cylinders.
Eight fire engines and water carriers were involved at the height of the response. Crews remained at the scene into Monday damping down hotspots as the scale of the damage became clear.
Firefighters said there were no casualties.
Man arrested as investigation continues
Sussex Police arrested a 67-year-old man on suspicion of arson. He has since been bailed pending further enquiries.
Police and the fire service have launched a joint investigation into the cause of the blaze. The arrest does not establish that the fire was deliberately started and the investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with information has been asked to contact Sussex Police, quoting serial 1504 of 22 August.
Holidaymakers face difficult return home
A number of the vehicles caught in the fire had been left at the site by people travelling through Gatwick, meaning some owners may still have been abroad when the blaze happened.
London Gatwick has stressed that the site is an unaffiliated third-party parking operation and is “not endorsed or operated by London Gatwick”. Passengers concerned that their vehicle may have been affected have been advised to contact the relevant parking operator.
The BBC reported that Sapphire Parking, one of the businesses using the site for airport parking, described the situation as a “nightmare” and said it had been forced to cancel around 600 bookings.
More than 2,000 properties lose power
The fire also affected the local electricity network as emergency crews worked close to overhead power lines.
UK Power Networks said 2,133 homes and businesses lost power for around three minutes shortly after 11pm on Saturday. Fifty-seven properties remained without electricity until shortly after 8am on Sunday.
The full extent of the damage is still being assessed, while police and fire investigators continue work to establish exactly how the fire began.
Sources
- ITV News – Around 140 vehicles destroyed in ‘complex’ fire near Gatwick Airport
- The Guardian – Man arrested on suspicion of arson after fire at car park used by Gatwick passengers
- Sky News – About 140 cars destroyed near Gatwick Airport
- BBC News – Fire destroys 140 cars at site used by Gatwick passengers
