A suspected arson attack took place at an industrial estate used for parking by holidaymakers flying from Gatwick Airport, raising fears several customers may have been impacted.
The blaze happened at Caldryne Business Park in Rowfant, five miles from the airport, on Saturday night.
Dramatic pictures showed flames dominating the skyline as teams of firefighters worked to tackle the incident while police shut off the immediate area. The next day, images emerged showing the blackened remains of dozens of vehicles at the industrial estate.
After the incident, Sussex Police arrested a 67-year-old man on suspicion of arson. On Monday morning, the force said he had been bailed as investigations continued.
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Meanwhile, both the police and West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service have issued alerts to people who have may left their vehicle at the industrial estate for holiday parking.
A force spokesperson said: “A number of cars were damaged at a site used for holiday parking. Any affected consumers are advised to contact their parking operator directly.”
A London Gatwick spokesperson said: “We are aware of a fire at an unaffiliated third-party car parking site, which occurred on Saturday evening, and understand how concerning and distressing this will be for any passengers whose vehicles may have been affected.
“We are advising any passengers who are concerned that their vehicle might have been affected to call the police on 101. The parking company is not endorsed or operated by London Gatwick.”
The fire service said the blaze, which it described as “significant and complex”, involved a workshop, vehicles and cylinders. It also led the loss of electricity for surrounding homes.
On Monday, a service spokesperson said: “Fire crews have been at the scene this morning damping down hotspots, and we are hoping to leave the scene later on today. Fortunately there were no casualties as a result of this fire.
"A joint fire investigation is now ongoing with Sussex Police.”
Following the fire, a number of fundraisers were launched for businesses impacted by the fire. On GoFundMe, Ashley Riley, from The Bears Banger Racing Team, said his team and family had “lost everything in the fire.”
The fundraiser to help “get life back on track and to rebuild their business from scratch”, had reached £6,237.
