Inferno at 70 Squadron Hangar, RAF Hinaidi

On the 7th June 1928 at RAF Hinaidi, the hangar containing 70 Squadron’s ‘A’ Flight bombers caught fire, with four Vickers Victorias (Serials J8226, J8227, J7923 and J7847) destroyed in the blaze as well as equipment and five Lion replacement engines. Amazingly I have found no record of injuries or death. The cause of the fire was eventually put down to a mechanic forgetting to turn off the petrol cock on one of the bombers before disconnecting the petrol pipe and the spilt petrol was ignited from a spark generated off a tool being used by another airman in the hangar. The main part of the airfield is behind and to the right of the burning hangar in the photo and the smoke would have severely hampered flying operations at Hinaidi until the fire was extinguished. Permission to reproduce this photograph was kindly given by Mike Greene.