Flights suspended at Luton Airport after fire engulfs car park

Footage posted on social media showed flames and smoke tearing through cars parked at the airport terminal

Flights have been suspended at Luton Airport because of a large fire that has engulfed one of its car parks.

Footage posted on social media showed flames and smoke tearing through cars parked at the airport terminal on Tuesday evening.

Vehicle alarms and loud explosions could be heard, with one witness saying the speed in which the blaze tore through the upper floor of the car park was “incredible”.

The airport said on X, formerly known as Twitter: “All flights are currently suspended as emergency services respond to a fire in Terminal Car Park 2.

“Access to the airport is currently restricted and we ask that people do not travel to the airport at this time.”

Bedfordshire Fire & Rescue Service told the Daily Mirror it was called to the incident just before 9pm and 10 fire engines are at the scene.

The fire service added that 80 per cent of one of the car park’s third floors was impacted by the blaze.

The East of England Ambulance Service confirmed it was attending the fire at the transport hub and said that one member of the public and six firefighters were suffering from smoke inhalation.

Molly Bullard posted video footage of the fire on X and said: “Scary scenes at Luton Airport as the multi story short stay car park is exploding in flames.”

Russell Taylor, 41, an account director from Kinross in Scotland, saw the flames after flying in to 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.”

Luton Airport has advised passengers not to travel to the airport and to get in touch with their airline for flight information.

Additional reporting by PA