Paddock fire hits Ginetta team
Ginetta GT5 Challenge team boss
Alastair Rushforth has thanked marshals and the fire brigade for their actions in putting out a fire in the team’s awning at Snetterton last weekend.
The incident occurred on Saturday at the British GT meeting shortly after 3pm, and halted track proceedings for more than two hours while first marshals and circuit officials battled the blaze, before three fire engines attended the scene.
“I had lent a welder to Assetto [Motorsport] and, as I came out of the garage, I noticed a lot of people running and I assumed it was a race that had finished,” said Rushforth. “But, when you got beyond the trucks, you could see the smoke and realised something is going on, and then you realise where you are and that it’s coming close to where I was [set up], so you start walking a bit quicker.”
Rushforth, who has been running his own Ginetta team for three years, believes a battery charger may have been the cause of the blaze that occurred in his truck – which was also his accommodation. In the wake of the incident, which detroyed the truck, set-up equipment and awning, he was given a hotel room by Raceway Motorsport, among other offers, and Ginetta bought him new clothes.
“It’s people’s support that’s added to the emotion,” he added. “The offers of support have been amazing and I can’t thank the circuit, marshals and fire brigade enough.”
The team was also offered alternative awning space, which allowed drivers Connor Grady and Will Orton the chance to compete in all three races on Sunday.
“The most important thing is no one got hurt and the second most important thing is the boys could race,” said Rushforth.
“I’m one of the smallest teams and it’s my livelihood, this is my job and that [truck] was my mode of transport. I don’t know what I’m going to do yet
[for the future], but we will be at Croft [18-19 September] with two cars.”