The first call reached Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service just after 8:45 pm on October 10, 2023. A car was burning on level three of the multi-storey car park at Terminal 2, Luton Airport. Within the hour, the blaze had outrun it.
At 9.38 pm the fire brigade declared a major incident, citing the ferocity of the fire and the risk to human life. At the peak, 15 rescue pumps, three aerial appliances and more than 100 firefighters were on scene.
Spread and collapse
The fire moved from the third floor to other levels, and the car park partly collapsed. Around 1,200 cars were damaged, according to IHA News, from a structure that held more than 1,500 vehicles. Aerotime put the number in the car park at 1,200, with early indications that a car fire had spread. Crews worked to control the blaze and shield nearby buildings, vehicles, aircraft and the Luton DART rail link.
Nobody died. East of England Ambulance Service confirmed that four firefighters and one member of airport staff were taken to Luton and Dunstable Hospital with smoke exposure, and one other patient was discharged at the scene.
Flights stopped
The airport told passengers not to travel. “The safety of our passengers and staff remains our main priority,” it said. “We have therefore taken the decision to suspend all flights until noon on Wednesday 11 October.” A later update pushed the restart to at least 3pm.
By Wednesday morning, firefighters were still dampening down what was left of the fire. An investigation into its cause was under way.
Sources
- Fire at Luton Airport Car Park Damages 1,200 Vehicles, Halts Flights – IHA News
- Fire at Luton Airport rips through terminal car park: video
Sources
- Fire at Luton Airport Car Park Damages 1,200 Vehicles, Halts Flights
- Fire at Luton Airport rips through terminal car park: video
