Tributes paid to father who was 'part of Bicester Motion fabric' after fire tragedy

A business owner who helped transform Bicester Airfield into a thriving automotive hub was one of the three victims of Thursday’s fire, it has been revealed.

Dave Chester, a married father of two, had been involved with the Bicester Motion site in Oxfordshire since restoration work began 12 years ago.

The 57-year-old, who ran construction firm Chesters & Sons, was killed along with two firefighters, Jennie Logan, 30, and Martyn Sadler, 38, in the hangar blaze that broke out on Thursday evening.

Two firefighters remain in hospital.

As investigations continue, Bicester Motion’s CEO Daniel Geoghegan paid tribute to the victims and all members of the emergency services who responded to the fire. He said that Chester had been an original and integral member of the site’s team.

“He had a long history with the estate — indeed from man and boy,” said Geoghegan. “He joined us 12 years ago when we first bought the site and, with his wife and two sons, has been a pillar of our whole business community.

“We considered him a member of our team, part of the fabric of our estate and a friend to us all.

“Whenever you had a question, you would ‘Just ask Dave’, not just him but his whole family as they all cared about this place just as much as we do.”

Chesters & Sons was responsible for reinforcing Bicester’s original 1926 airfield control tower, which had been in danger of collapse before the work.

“We had to make the entire process appear as though we had never been there, that the repairs were essentially invisible thus maintaining the original appearance of the structure,” said Chester in an earlier comment on his firm’s website.

His social media posts also illustrate his involvement with Bicester Motion, showing him and colleagues working into the evening to finish projects.

“Our whole community used to say that ‘Dave always had our back,’” added Geoghegan on Friday. “Yesterday, he was doing just that – the epitome of his selfless spirit.

“We will cherish you Dave and you will be sorely missed, and we send our utmost love to Sue, Jordan and Riley.”

Thames Valley Police has launched an unexplained death investigation following the intense fire that broke out on Thursday evening in a hangar, Building 79, which is understood to have been used for storage of vehicles and equipment. From initial images, it appears that other buildings were undamaged.

Ten fire crews were tackling the blaze at its height and firefighters were still dampening the blaze on Friday evening. Police officers are expected to remain at the scene for “a number of days”.

Geoghegan described the events as “tragic in so many ways”.

“To Jennie Logan and Martyn Sadler, the two firefighters who so bravely tackled the scene. The epitome of selfless service,” he said.”

“We extend our heartfelt condolences to their families and loved ones. They have gone above and beyond under unprecedented circumstances. No words can ever make up for what has happened, but they are all very much in our hearts.”

More than 50 businesses are located on the 444-acre Bicester Motion site, which began its transformation from the former RAF base in 2013. The first phase, Bicester Heritage brought dozens of historic car specialists to the business park and an expansion was approved in 2022, aimed at attracting cutting-edge automotive and engineering firms.

The site is currently closed until at least the start of next week.