A fire service remembered two firefighters who were killed in a business park blaze in May at a national service.
The fire broke out at Bicester Motion in Buckingham Road on May 15, sparking a major response from emergency services.
The blaze claimed the lives of firefighters Martyn Sadler, 38, and Jennie Logan, 30.
Jennie Logan (Image: Thames Valley Police/PA Wire) Dave Chester, a 57-year-old father-of-two who worked at the site, also died.
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Two other firefighters sustained serious injuries in the incident, however they have both since been discharged from hospital.
Today (September 1), Oxfordshire Fire Service attended the Annual Service of Remembrance and Wreath Laying ceremony at the National Memorial Arboretum.
The service said this year ‘it meant more than ever’.
“We stood together to honour all those who’ve served, and especially our friends and colleagues Jennie and Martyn, who we tragically lost in the Bicester Motion incident on 15 May 2025,” it said in a statement posted on social media.
“It was emotional, but we all shared a moment of connection and reflection.
“We’ll keep carrying forward their kind and dedicated spirit.”
Martyn Sadler (Image: Thames Valley Police/PA Wire) Home Office statistics showed that the Bicester Motion fire was the fourth incident in which a firefighter had died whilst tackling a blaze in England in the past 15 years.
It was also the first time two firefighters had been killed in the same fire since Jim Shears and Alan Bannon died in a blaze at Shirley Towers in Southampton in 2010.
The tragedy rocked the community with tributes flooding in and thousands lining the streets for the funeral processions for Mr Sadler and Ms Logan on July 31 and June 14 respectively.
Mr Chester’s funeral, held on July 8, was private at the request of his family.
Dave Chester (Image: Thames Valley Police/PA Wire) Mr Sadler worked for Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service and was also part of the London Fire Brigade.
He started his wholetime firefighter training with Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service and worked in Slough, Langley and Maidenhead before moving to the London brigade.
Ms Logan, who also worked for Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue, and Mr Sadler were members of Bicester Rugby Union Football Club (BRUFC), with Ms Logan on the Bicester Vixens women’s team.
Mr Chester ran family business Chesters and Sons at Bicester Motion.
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He joined the estate when it was bought 12 years ago and was described as “part of the fabric of our estate and a friend to us all”.
Reflecting on the weeks since May 15, county councillor for Bicester East and lifelong resident, Sean Gaul, said in August: “The Bicester Motion tragedy has been the most difficult time for Bicester that I have ever known.
“It’s a real wake up call to what we ask our emergency services to do for us, to risk their lives to keep us safe.”
Margarete Serna
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