Luton Airport fire 'robs' wheelchair user of independence

A wheelchair user whose vehicle was parked at Luton Airport when the car park caught fire said the blaze had robbed him of his independence.

Andrew Miller, from Northamptonshire, parked on the ground floor of car park two on 8 October.

Two days later the fire caused the building to suffer a "significant structural collapse".

The airport said it was "unlikely" any vehicle would be salvageable.

Mr Miller said he was concerned the airport "might be rushing to conclusions if cars like mine are potentially salvageable".

"I've got no idea what the vehicle looks like up close, but from a distance, it encouraged me that it wasn't in the collapsed part of the car park," he said.

The 56-year-old explained: "I've got complex access needs and I've spent years looking for a car that I can easily get in and out of.

"This fire has robbed me of my access and my independence," he added.

He bought his automatic Citroen DS 3 two weeks ago after leasing the vehicle for five years from Motability, an organisation which supports disabled drivers.

The model is no longer in production, he said. "It's quite bespoke and precious to me and it really is my independence."

He said the vehicle, a three-door car without a central console, is much easier for a wheelchair user to get in and out of independently.

"It's going to be very difficult for me to find another one, not impossible, but very difficult," he said.

Mr Miller returned from a trip to Ireland on Thursday with his husband. He said there was no one from the airport or APCOA, its parking provider, to give information on how to return home.

The disability campaigner said the situation had been a "nightmare" adding that "the interests of disabled people who need carefully considered bespoke solutions get tossed aside and ignored".

A London Luton Airport spokesperson said up to 1,500 cars were inside the car park. 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.

"We would like to offer our sincere apologies to Mr Miller for any distress or inconvenience caused.

"We understand how upsetting this situation is and have been working tirelessly to provide more information to our customers as quickly as possible."

The airport said alongside APCOA they have responded to almost 16,500 customer queries.

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