Luton Airport Shut After Blaze Rips Through Car Park

The blaze started with one car and quickly swallowed half of the new building with up to 1,200 vehicles damaged.

Screen grab from video issued by Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service of a fire at a car park at Luton Airport outside of London on Oct. 10, 2023. Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service via PA

Luton Airport has been closed since Tuesday evening after parts of a multi-storey car collapsed in a fire.

The blaze began with one car and rapidly ripped through the newly built car park. Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service said there will be a full investigation to determine the cause of the fire.

Four firefighters and a member of airport staff were taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation and another firefighter was treated at the scene.

The fire was extinguished on Wednesday morning, Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service said at 8:45 a.m., and the airport is expected to remain closed until 3 p.m.

Some firefighters would remain at the scene throughout the day to monitor the smoldering remains.

Firefighting operations are monitoring the smouldering remains and will continue throughout the day.

According to analysis of flight data websites by the PA news agency, around 25,000 airline passengers are suffering disruption.

Up To 1,200 Car Damaged

Fire engines were called at 8:47 p.m. on Tuesday about a fire involving a car on level three of the multi-storey car park, Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service said.

It’s believed up to 1,200 vehicles may have been in the car park and subsequently damaged.

The fire quickly ripped through the building and caused “significant structural collapse.”

A major incident was declared at 21:38 p.m.

A brigade spokesman said on Tuesday evening that the blaze swallowed half of the building.

“One half of the structure is fully involved in fire, and the building has suffered a significant structural collapse,” he said.

“Fire crews are working to extinguish the fire and prevent it from spreading to adjacent buildings and vehicles on air side of the airport.”

Fire engines from Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Northamptonshire, and London Fire Brigade were supporting the Bedfordshire crew.

There were 15 rescue pumps, three aerial appliances, and more than 100 firefighters at the scene at the peak of the fire.

Luton Airport initially said flights would be suspended until noon on Wednesday. On Wednesday, the airport said flights won’t resume until 3 p.m.

“Emergency services remain on the scene following last night’s fire in Terminal Car Park 2,” the airport said in a statement posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“Our priority remains supporting the emergency services and the safety of our passengers and staff. Therefore, we have now taken the decision to suspend all fights until 3 p.m. on Wednesday [Oct. 11].”

The airport advised passengers not to travel to the airport as access remained “severely restricted.”

Screengrab taken with permission from video posted on X by @Soriyn23 of a fire at a car park at Luton Airport outside of London on Oct. 10, 2023. @Soriyn23/PA

Footage posted on social media showed flames and smoke tearing through cars parked at the airport car park.

‘Incredible’ Speed

Russell Taylor, 41, an account director from Kinross in Scotland, saw the flames after flying into Luton Airport from Edinburgh.

“There were a couple of fire engines with a car ablaze on the upper floor of the car park at just after 9 p.m.,” he told PA.

“A few minutes later, most of the upper floor was alight, and car alarms were going off with loud explosions from cars going up in flames.”

Mr. Taylor said the speed at which the fire took hold was “incredible.”

Nearby residents have been advised to close their windows to avoid the smoke.

PA Media contributed to this report.