ALL flights from Luton Airport have been cancelled until at least 3pm today after a blaze ripped through one of its multi-storey car parks last night.
Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue service confirmed a major incident had occurred at 9:38pm last night, with at least 15 fire engines and 100 firefighters attending the scene.Up to 1,200 vehicles have been damaged in the blaze, with emergency services still on the scene.
Now, Luton Airport has confirmed that all flights set to leave before 3pm today have been cancelled, plunging travel plans into chaos.
Now, Andrew Hopkinson, chief fire officer for Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, has explained how the fire started.
He said: “We have no intelligence at this stage to suggest that this was anything other than an accidental fire that started in one of the vehicles that had not long arrived at the airport. It was not an EV. This was a diesel powered vehicle.”
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- By Henry Moore
Car park was not equipped with sprinklers
Andrew Hopkinson, chief fire officer for Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, has revealed there were no sprinklers in the car park at Luton Airport.
He told reporters in Luton today: "We are already talking to the airport about ensuring that any future, and the existing, car parks have sprinklers fitted because this building is not sprinkler protected."
He added: "Sprinklers may have made a positive impact on this incident."
- By Henry Moore
Fire took over car park at ‘incredible’ speed
Russell Taylor, 41, an account director from Kinross in Scotland, saw the flames after flying into Luton Airport from Edinburgh.
He said: “There were a couple of fire engines with a car ablaze on the upper floor of the car park at just after 9pm.
“A few minutes later most of the upper floor was alight, car alarms were going off with loud explosions from cars going up in flames.
“The speed in which the fire took hold was incredible.”
- By Henry Moore
25,000 passengers affected by blaze
Around 25,000 passengers have been affected by a fire that ripped through one of Luton Airport's car parks, reports PA.
40 flights due to take off or land at Luton Airport have been cancelled since the fire started yesterday night.
On top of this, 17 arrivals were diverted to airports including Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, East Midlands, Gatwick, Liverpool John Lennon, Manchester and Stansted.
The worst affected airlines were Wizz Air and easyJet, which operate the most flights at Luton Airport, PA's data team reports.
- By Henry Moore
Latest update from Luton Airport
Flights remain cancelled up until 3pm, as per Luton Airport's latest update.
- By Henry Moore
'Cause' of massive Luton Airport blaze revealed
The origin of last night's massive fire at Luton Airport has been revealed
Andrew Hopkinson, chief fire officer for Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, explained how the fire started.
He said: "We have no intelligence at this stage to suggest that this was anything other than an accidental fire that started in one of the vehicles that had not long arrived at the airport.
"It was not an EV. This was a diesel powered vehicle."
'Cause' of Luton Airport fire revealed after 1,500 holidaymakers' cars destroyed
- By Henry Moore
Holidaymakers 'frustrated and upset'
Chloe Roberts parked her Ford Fiesta in the multi-storey before going on holiday to Iceland with her husband.
They are due to land back in the UK on Friday and live over 100 miles away from Luton Airport.
The business owner, 26, told the Sun: "I feel frustrated and upset. The worst thing is the fact we don't know what's going on with our car.
"We don't know if it's been destroyed or not. Both of us are stressing out a bit.
"We came to Iceland to have a relaxing holiday and have been up half the night panicking about the car."
- By Henry Moore
When will flights continue?
Following the incident, all incoming flights were diverted elsewhere and flights were also cancelled as a result – however, they are expected to resume today (Wednesday, October 11, 2023).
In a statement at 3am, the airport said: "Emergency services continue to respond to a significant fire in Terminal Car Park 2, which has resulted in a partial structural collapse.
"All flights are suspended until 3pm on Wednesday. Passengers are advised not to travel to the airport at this time."
However, it is not confirmed that flights will continue as normal at 3pm.
- By Henry Moore
Up to 1,200 cars destroyed
As many as 1,200 cars have been destroyed by last night's blaze, reports claim.
The flames ripped through the Terminal Car Park 2 in Luton as holidaymakers looked on in horror and firefighters battled the inferno into the early hours of the morning.
Passengers already on board planes were forced to disembark as more than 100 firefighters and 15 fire engines were called to the scene.
- By Henry Moore
What should I do if my flight is cancelled or delayed?
Luton Airport has advised passengers to contact their airline directly regarding their flights.
The best way to check if your flights are cancelled or are affected by delays is to locate to the website of the airport you are flying out of and find your flight number.
If your flight is covered under UK law, your airline must let you choose between either getting a refund or an alternative flight, regardless of how far in advance the cancellation was made.
Similarly, under UK law, airlines may have to provide compensation if your flight arrives at its destination more than three hours late.
- By Henry Moore
Is Luton Airport closed?
On Wednesday, October 10, 2023, Luton Airport was forced to close and passengers were urged to stay away after 1,200 vehicles were destroyed when a huge blaze caused a car park to collapse.
The flames ripped through the Terminal Car Park 2 in Luton at around 9pm – with firefighters battling the inferno into the early hours of the morning.
Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue service said the building has suffered a "significant structural collapse" as firefighters were still trying to put out the blaze at 3.57am.
At the time of writing, passengers are advised not to travel to the airport, with all flights cancelled until at least 3pm.
- By Henry Moore
WATCH: Massive rips through airport car park
Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue shared a clip from last night's fire at Luton Airport, showing it rip through the Terminal 2 car park.
Efforts to end the blaze were still active at 3.57am this morning.
Writing on X, Beds Fire and Rescue said: "We are continuing to protect surrounding airport infrastructure, vehicles and the Luton DART.
"For anyone whose travel plans may be affected, please refer to the advice being provided by London Luton Airport."
- By Henry Moore
In pictures: Blaze rages at Luton Airport car park
Fires raged at Luton Airport car park last night, leading all flights to be cancelled until at least 3pm today.
- By Henry Moore
Airport busses 'trapped' during blaze
Airport buses and vehicles were "trapped" as the road running alongside Car Park 2 was blocked off.
A spokesman for East of England Ambulance Service (EEAS) revealed the "critical incident" ended around midnight.
They added: "We remain on-scene to support fire & rescue colleagues.
"Four firefighters and one member of airport staff taken to Luton & Dunstable Hospital. One other patient discharged at-scene."
A spokesperson previously said: "Ambulances are on-scene and more resources, including the Hazardous Area Response Team are en route.
"One member of the public and six firefighters were affected by smoke inhalation."
- By Henry Moore
Four firefighters hospitalised amid blaze
Some four firefighters and one airport staff member were hospitalised following the blaze, according to a spokesman for East of England Ambulance Service (EEAS).
No one is thought to have died.
- By Henry Moore
What caused the fire?
The horror blaze is thought to have been sparked when a single car caught fire.
Flames, whipped up by the wind, spread quickly to dozens of other vehicles.
A Luton Airport spokesman said last night: "All flights are currently suspended as emergency services respond to a fire in Terminal Car Park 2.
"Access to the airport is restricted and we ask that people do not travel to the airport at this time."
- By Henry Moore
No flights until 3pm
Luton Airport has confirmed that no scheduled flights will take place until at least 3pm today.
In a statement released in the last hour, Luton Airport said: "Passengers are advised not to travel to the airport at this time, as access remains severely restricted."
- By Henry Moore
Flights cancelled after massive blaze hits Luton Airport
All flights have been cancelled at Luton Airport until at least 3pm today after a massive fire hit one of its car parks.
The flames ripped through the Terminal Car Park 2 in Luton as holidaymakers looked on in horror and firefighters battled the inferno into the early hours of the morning.
The airport was closed and travellers urged to stay away as all incoming flights were diverted elsewhere.
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