The first crew to a large fire in Ash Keys, Crawley, arrived after 18 minutes, a delay WSFRS says was caused by multiple concurrent incidents across the county. The blaze destroyed four homes and damaged six others, and investigators say an electrical fault is the most likely cause. Eight engines attended and the service has since reviewed its response while urging residents to take extra care in dry weather.
Fire Service Admits 18-Minute Response to Major Ash Keys Blaze That Destroyed Four Homes
The fire service believed the incident was likely caused by an electrical fault [Eddie Mitchell]
The first fire crew to reach a large blaze in Ash Keys, Crawley, took 18 minutes to arrive, West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service (WSFRS) has acknowledged. The fire on Monday destroyed four houses and damaged six others, spreading into the gardens of affected properties.
WSFRS said eight fire engines attended the incident, with a crew from Crawley the first on the scene. The 18-minute response was more than eight minutes slower than the average recorded for critical fires at the end of 2025/26, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
Cause, Response And Investigation
Initial reports suggested the blaze might have started from a bonfire, but WSFRS's investigation concluded the fire was an "accidental ignition", with an electrical fault judged the most likely cause. A total of 10 properties were involved in the incident.
Crews who attended came from Crawley, Worthing, Storrington, East Grinstead, Horsham and Turners Hill, together with support from Surrey Fire & Rescue Service and East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service. WSFRS said the delayed response was in part due to firefighters being deployed to multiple large fires across the county at the same time.
Ten homes in Ash Keys, Crawley, were damaged by the fire on Monday [George Carden/BBC]
"At the time, firefighters were responding to multiple large fires across the county. All serious incidents are reviewed to ensure we continue to provide an effective service," a WSFRS spokesperson said.
Resources, Recruitment And Risk
WSFRS has recruited additional staff this year: nine whole-time firefighters in January, eight on-call firefighters in March and seven more in May. However, a 2025/26 performance report showed adequate crewing at on-call stations remained at 46%, keeping that indicator in the red despite improvements.
Tony Morris, who runs the Stop The Cuts campaign, warned that modern building materials and dry conditions make fires burn "hotter and quicker than they did," arguing the county should have more firefighters and faster responses.
WSFRS continues to investigate the blaze, to review its operational response and to urge residents to "take extra care" during the current hot, dry weather.
Sources: West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service; Local Democracy Reporting Service.
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