A fire in one of the multi-storey car parks at Luton Airport led to extensive flight delays and disruptions, affecting more than 250 flights.
The Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service reported that the car park’s structural integrity suffered severe damage from the fire, which began late on Tuesday evening.
In the aftermath of the incident, nearly 40,000 travellers faced changes to their plans, with flights either delayed or cancelled within a 24-hour period. Over 100 firefighters worked to bring the situation under control.
The East of England Ambulance Service reported that they dispatched two ambulances, seven hazardous area response team vehicles, and ambulance officer vehicles to the site of the incident at Luton Airport.
They further stated, “We evaluated five individuals who were experiencing smoke inhalation on-site. Three firefighters and one airport staff member were transported to Luton and Dunstable Hospital. One firefighter received medical clearance and was discharged at the scene.”
Andrew Hopkinson, Chief Fire Officer for the BFRS, estimated that around 1,500 vehicles were impacted by the fire.
According to Greg Carter, a technical expert from the AA, the primary reason for car fires is typically linked to electrical faults within the battery system. As he revealed, the car that started the fire turned out to be diesel-powered.
Carter also emphasised that diesel is notably less flammable than petrol, and in the case of a vehicle, it requires significant pressure or a continuous flame source to ignite the fuel.
The fire service shared an update on social media platform X at 22:00 late Tuesday “We are currently at the scene of a significant fire in Terminal Car Park 2 at @LDNLutonAirport, involving numerous cars. First reports came in at 20:47. We have deployed 15 fire appliances and three specialist aerial appliances from the county and surrounding areas. This incident has been categorized as a major incident by Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service.”
