LONDON – In a massive accident that cost billions, all flights at Luton Airport were suspended after a huge fire ripped through a terminal car park on Tuesday evening.
The fire erupted at the car park and started in a vehicle at about 20:45 BST but soon it dent a massive blow to the multi-story building; fortunately, no casualty was reported in the accident but four firefighters and a member of airport staff were treated afterward for breathing issues.
The airport’s Terminal 2 parking lot where the fire erupted is believed to hold up to 1,900 vehicles and hundreds of cars may have been damaged as a result of the blaze.
https://twitter.com/lordcxsh/status/1712060399435018253
Andy Hopkinson, Bedfordshire’s chief fire officer, opined that it was an accidental fire based on the evidence available, adding that it is believed that the fire started in a “diesel-powered” car and then spread through the building.
The severity of the devastation can be gauged from the fact that Andy Hopkinson said as per estimates around 1,500 vehicles were in the parking lot when the fire broke out.
Bedfordshire Police advised people against travelling to the area as public transport running to the airport was also cancelled and some roads in the immediate vicinity were also shut.
As a result of the fire, at least 125 flights were cancelled and others severely delayed, and disruption is expected to continue into Thursday though the flight operation has now begun.
Efforts are still ongoing to extinguish a serious fire at Luton Airport. 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. pic.twitter.com/tNFo4hvRdX
— Beds Fire and Rescue (@BedsFire) October 11, 2023
“Following last night’s car fire in Terminal Car Park 2, emergency services have now downgraded the incident but remain on the scene as a precaution,” the airport stated on Twitter on Wednesday.
“The teams have worked hard to get the airport operational, with the passengers now re-entering the terminal and the first flights expected to depart from 3 p.m,” it elaborated.
As far as the location of the airport is concerned, Luton Airport is located in Bedfordshire, about 55 kilometers (34 miles) northwest of London, and is a hub for several budget airlines, including easyJet, Ryanair and Wizz Air.
