What caused the Luton Airport fire and what happens next?

Opened just four years ago as part of a multi-million pound modernisation programme, Luton Airport's terminal car park two suffered a structural collapse after a huge fire ripped through it. So, what happens next at Luton, the UK's fifth largest airport?

John Shaw, 30, from Oxford, was told by call handlers he was the first person to dial 999 after he spotted the flames at Luton Airport at 20:45 BST on 10 October.

He was returning from a family trip to Romania with his partner and nine-month-old daughter.

• Luton Airport flights resume after car park blaze

"We were sat there not knowing what to do, whether to evacuate or not. Everybody was in a state of panic and then it starts spreading to the floor above," he said.

"As this happens, my car comes into sight in the car park. I get my daughter, partner and luggage into the car and evacuate as quickly as possible.

"We could hear explosions as well and were worried about things flying off, like bits of shrapnel."

The fire started on level-three of the airport's Car Park Terminal 2.

Fifteen fire engines and more than 100 firefighters from Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Northamptonshire and London were sent to the scene.

The fire service said the car park was not fitted with sprinklers.

On 23 October, Bedfordshire Police said they had arrested a man in his 30s on suspicion of criminal damage. He was released on bail while the inquiry continued.

It is thought the fire started with a diesel-powered vehicle "and then that fire has quickly and rapidly spread", said Andrew Hopkinson, Bedfordshire's chief fire officer.

While the exact number of cars damaged or destroyed is not yet known, Mr Hopkinson said: "There is a substantial number [of cars] that are not damaged."

There was no suggestion the blaze happened intentionally.

Footage emerged of a burning car in the car park, thought to have been the cause of the wider blaze.

The video was said to have been taken shortly after the fire began on the third floor of the car park.

The woman who filmed the blaze was there to pick up relatives.

"We saw there was a fire [but] the fire extinguisher from this floor was used, so we went to another floor to take another," she said.

"But at that moment when we came to the car, it exploded and we couldn't come near."

Electrical faults with the 12-volt battery system are the most common cause of car fires, according to the AA's technical expert Greg Carter.

Mr Carter said diesel is "much less flammable" than petrol, and in a car it takes "intense pressure or sustained flame" to ignite diesel.

The car park fire led to the cancellation of more than 150 flights which were due to land or take off from the airport.

A further 27 arrivals were diverted to airports as far away as Cardiff, Liverpool and Manchester, while many other flights were delayed.

Estimates suggested more than 30,000 passengers suffered disruption to their journeys.

Hundreds of people were stranded because their cars were either in the collapsed car par or an adjacent one.

Luton Airport said it has replied to almost 16,500 customer queries after the fire ripped through the structure.

Helen Jocelyne, from Exmouth in Devon, was returning to Luton from Bulgaria when her plane was diverted to Stansted in Essex.

A coach took her on the hour-long journey to Luton but she said she had to walk to the terminal with her luggage.

Others camped out in the airport.

Flights resumed at about 15:00 on 11 October.

Luton Airport is the UK's fifth largest airport, handling 13 million passengers in 2022.

The total cost of the Luton Airport fire will not be known for some time.

It is thought there were about 1,500 vehicles in the 1,900-capacity car park at the time of the fire.

The exact cause of the blaze and the number of vehicles damaged is not yet clear.

A temporary ramp was set up at the car park to enable undamaged vehicles to be removed.

However, Luton Airport said it was "unlikely" any vehicles would be salvageable

"Regrettably, it is unlikely that any vehicles in the car park will be salvageable but this is still in the process of being assessed," said an airport spokesman.

"We recognise this has been an extremely distressing time for all concerned and we would like to thank our customers for their ongoing patience and understanding while we work through the many complexities following this incident."

The spokesman said the airport had provided the Motor Insurers' Bureau with the registration details of 1,405 vehicles and was working with the Association of British Insurers to try to retrieve any personal items.

A spokesman for the Association of British Insurers said: "Owners of vehicles caught up in this fire will naturally be very concerned.

"Comprehensive and third-party fire and theft motor insurance policies will cover fire damage.

"Drivers affected should notify any claim to their motor insurer. We will continue to work with our members and Luton Airport to understand the situation, as and when more information becomes available.

"Travellers caught up in the disruption following the fire should check the position with their air carrier or travel operator.

"Some travel polices may offer limited cover for delays or any abandonment of travel."

"The airlines are in a completely thankless position," said travel expert Simon Calder.

"It's nothing to do with them, obviously, [yet] they have an unlimited duty of care to find people alternative seats as soon as possible, to get them hotels, meals, and when you get such disruption at such a scale it's impossible for them to do so."

If their flight is covered under UK law, the airline must let passengers choose between either getting a refund or an alternative flight, according to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

• What are my rights if my flight is cancelled or delayed?

They can get their money back for any part of the ticket they have not used.

If they still want to travel, the airline must find an alternative flight.

Mr Calder said what they were not entitled to was cash compensation on top of the refund or alternative flight.

Passengers stuck at the airport or abroad as a result of the flight cancellations were also entitled to assistance from their airline.

That included a reasonable amount of food and drink, usually in the form of vouchers, free accommodation if they had to stay overnight and transport to and from the accommodation.

If the airline was unable to arrange assistance, passengers could organise it themselves.

In that case, the CAA advised them to keep receipts and not spend more than necessary.

Three firefighters and a member of airport staff were taken to hospital suffering from the effects of breathing in smoke.

A further firefighter was treated at the scene by the paramedics.

No serious injuries were reported.

The fire service said a full investigation into the blaze was under way but it was not known how long it would take to complete.

Mr Hopkinson said discussions were already taking place with the airport about fire prevention measures.

He said: "We are already talking to the airport about ensuring that any future, and the existing, car parks have sprinklers fitted.

"Sprinklers may have made a positive impact on this incident."

Javeria Hussain is chair of Luton Rising, the Luton Borough Council company that owns the airport.

She said: "We're going to be working closely with the operator, and emergency support, to make sure that there is a return to business as usual for the airport as quickly as possible."

She added Luton Rising and the borough council would be also be "working closely with the airport operator to deal with the recovery operation".

Follow East of England news on Facebook, Instagram and X. Got a story? Email [email protected] or WhatsApp 0800 169 1830