CCTV shows hangar door falling on Bicester fire victims

CCTV footage captured the moment the doors to a hangar collapsed and killed two firefighters and a member of the public, a coroner's court has heard.

Firefighters Martyn Sadler, 38, and Jennie Logan, 30, along with father-of-two Dave Chester, 57, died in the blaze that engulfed Bicester Motion on 15 May 2025.

During a pre-inquest review hearing in Oxford on Tuesday, senior coroner Darren Salter said the footage showed the collapse of the doors at hangar 79, and that it happened "within six or seven minutes" after firefighters arrived on the scene.

He said the full jury inquest is not likely to start until the start of summer 2027 and there would be another pre-inquest review held before then.

At an inquest opening in June 2025, Salter listed their causes of death as "multiple traumatic injuries".

Thames Valley Police (TVP) previously said all three had sustained injuries in line with those "typically caused by the collapse of part of a structure".

The families of the firefighters attended the hearing, while a relative of Chester joined online.

Barristers representing the families said they did not want the CCTV footage shown in open court.

They then made submissions about how the circumstances which led to the three deaths should be explored.

The police investigation concluded in July with TVP saying no criminal prosecutions would be brought.

The HSE is now leading the investigation which could bring prosecutions, though the court heard the full inquest would happen before this.

Regarding the cause of the fire, Salter said there is evidence of a number of issues, including a possible electrical fault on ground maintenance vehicles or oil-based product, and issues around its use, or self-heating rags used to apply the product.

He added in either case "it's not certain" what the cause of the fire is.

The fire was reported at about 18:30 BST on 15 May, 2025, and rapidly spread through a former aircraft hangar at the site on Buckingham Road, and a major incident was declared.

Ten fire and rescue crews were sent as witnesses reported seeing black smoke in the sky.

Paying tribute, the family of Sadler said being a firefighter was "always in his blood", having previously worked for Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service and London Fire Brigade.

He was described as "the true definition of a hero".

The family of Logan said her "bravery and fearlessness shone through right until the end".

Chester's family said he had "died the way he lived – helping others and putting them ahead of himself".