Luton Airport bosses issue major update after fire wrecks newly-built car park

15 October 2023 , 15:44

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The cars damaged in the fire will not be 'salvageable', said the airport (Image: Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Ser)

Luton Airport has said it is "unlikely that any vehicles will be salvageable" following a massive fire that caused a car park to collapse.

The airport said that, along with its parking provider APCOA, it responded to almost 16,500 customer queries since Tuesday evening - and thanked all customers for their patience given the "extremely distressing" incident. The airport said it had provided the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) with the registration details of 1,405 vehicles.

An airport spokesperson said it was working with the Association of British Insurers to establish the possibility of safely retrieving any personal items from the vehicles. The airport also said the emergency services have handed back control of the site and it is working to make it safe.

Burned out cars pictured in the car park after the fire (AFP via Getty Images)

A London Luton Airport spokesperson said: "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. Since Tuesday evening, together with Apcoa parking, we have responded to almost 16,500 customer queries.

"Dealing with such a large volume of inquiries, while an investigation is ongoing, has naturally extended our response times. Our team have been tirelessly working around the clock to keep customers informed of developments.

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"We have provided the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) with GDPR-compliant registration details of 1,405 vehicles, and they have confirmed the vast majority have now been passed to individual insurers. We also advise all customers affected to notify their insurance company as soon as possible.

"Regrettably, it is unlikely that any vehicles in the car park will be salvageable. However, this is still in the process of being assessed."

The airport is working to make the car park safe again, it said (AFP via Getty Images)

The statement continued: "We are working with the Association of British Insurers on behalf of the many insurance companies to establish whether it will be possible to safely retrieve any personal possessions and, if so, how this process may work. The emergency services have now handed back control of the site to the airport and work to make the site safe is ongoing.

"Until such time, it will not be possible to provide more detailed information or a specific timeline. We remain committed to transparency and resolution and will continue to provide updates as the situation unfolds."

Footage posted on social media showed flames and smoke tearing through cars in the newly-built car park. 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."

Chiara Fiorillo