Luton Airport fire: 'Lessons to be learned' after car park blaze says chair of Luton Rising

Lessons will be learned from the fire which swept through a multi-storey car park at London Luton Airport, according to a borough councillor.

The destruction of the parking area in the fire on October 10 has been described as “a massive blow” by Labour Farley councillor Javeria Hussain, who chairs Luton Rising, the trading arm of the local authority’s airport company London Luton Airport Limited.

She labelled the fire, which is reported to have destroyed up to 1,500 vehicles, as a complete “shock”. The airport has replied to around 16,500 customer inquiries since the incident at its terminal car park two.

Councillor Hussain said: “We’ll work with the airport operator (London Luton Airport Operations Limited) to ensure we learn lessons and that appropriate measures are put in place going forward.

“What’s happened here is a shock and we never saw it coming. We’re in distress because the airport is at the beating heart of Luton’s community. London Luton Airport is the biggest employer in the town and the fire was a massive blow.”

At the height of the blaze, there were more than 100 firefighters, three aerial appliances and 15 fire engines from Bedfordshire and neighbouring Hertfordshire.

Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service’s early investigations suggest the fire originated from a parked vehicle, while the building lacked a sprinkler system.

Reporters at the scene were told that sprinklers “may have made a positive impact” to reduce the spread of the fire.

Talks are expected to be held with the airport authorities around fitting sprinklers in any new car parks and the others currently on the site.

But a London Luton Airport spokesman advised: “There’s no mandatory requirement for sprinklers in this type of building.”

The fire was declared a major incident, while the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust said that ambulances and resources including its hazardous area response team attended.

Footage was posted on social media of flames shooting into the air and smoke billowing from the top storey of the short stay car park, shortly before 9pm last Tuesday.

The airport has provided the Motor Insurers’ Bureau with the registration details of 1,405 vehicles in the aftermath of the fire.

Three firefighters and a member of airport staff were taken to Luton and Dunstable Hospital suffering from the effects of breathing in smoke. Another firefighter was treated at the scene by paramedics. No serious injuries were reported.

Fire crews prevented the flames from spreading to adjacent buildings and vehicles.

The DART shuttle from Luton Airport Parkway railway station to the airport terminal remains out of service, with replacement buses operating until further notice.

The airport is asking travellers to allow at least an extra half an hour for their journey, and more than that at peak times.

For those arriving at the airport by car, a temporary drop-off area has been established in the mid-stay car park.

Buses are running between the car park and the terminal, and no charges are in place for this service.