140 cars gutted in huge fire at Gatwick holiday parking site: Pensioner, 67, arrested on arson suspicion

Holidaymakers flying back into Gatwick this week face a nasty shock after a massive blaze tore through a popular off-airport parking site used by passengers heading to Spain and other summer beach destinations.

Around 140 vehicles ended up destroyed or badly damaged when fire ripped through Caldyne Business Park on Wallage Lane in Rowfant, near Crawley in West Sussex, just after 9pm on Saturday 22 August. Eight fire engines and two water carriers battled the flames overnight. Crews stayed put into Monday damping down remaining hotspots and hoped to pack up later that day. Thankfully, no one was reported as physically hurt.

Blaze hits workshop, cars and cylinders near airport

West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service got the call at 8.56pm. Flames and thick smoke shot up over the industrial estate, which also houses workshops and auto businesses. Electric vehicles, heavy goods lorries and gas cylinders all got caught up in it. Power to more than 2,000 homes and local firms had to be cut when high-voltage kit was damaged, though supply came back by Sunday morning. Nearby roads stayed closed for a while, and people living close by were told to keep windows and doors shut.

A good chunk of the burnt-out motors belonged to holiday parking operators. Plenty of Brits leave their cars at places like this while they jet off to the Costa or further afield. Gatwick itself does not run the site.

Arrest made as probe continues

Sussex Police arrested a 67-year-old man on suspicion of arson. He has since been bailed while inquiries carry on. A joint investigation with the fire service is under way. Anyone with information should report it online or ring 101, quoting serial 1504 of 22/08. Full details sit on the Sussex Police website.

Local firms are said to have taken a big hit too. Recovery and breakdown businesses based at the park lost tools, trucks and gear. One family-linked outfit that regularly donates old motors to fire stations for training saw everything go up. A GoFundMe has already been set up to help those whose livelihoods went up in smoke.

What it means for Brits still on holiday in Spain

Scores of holidaymakers due back at Gatwick over the next few days could find their cars gone or unusable. Fire crews and police have told anyone affected to contact their parking operator straight away rather than rock up expecting to drive off. Official on-airport options remain available if you need a plan B, check the latest at Gatwick’s parking pages.

This comes after months of warnings about rogue meet-and-greet firms around the airport. Earlier this summer, Trading Standards and police found cars left in fields or next to scrapyards. Booking through official channels or properly accredited firms still looks the safer bet. For more on the headaches British passengers face at UK airports, see our earlier piece on the steep rise in Gatwick drop-off fees compared with Spanish airports.

Power is back on for local residents. Firefighters have done a solid job keeping the blaze from spreading further. For anyone still abroad whose car was parked in that Rowfant site, get on the phone to your operator now and keep an eye on updates from Sussex Police and West Sussex Fire and Rescue.