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London's Luton Airport says all flights suspended after 'significant' car park fire

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A police car drives away from London Luton airport on September 8, 2014, following a security alert and an evacuation of the main terminal building.
A police car drives away from London Luton airport on September 8, 2014, following a security alert and an evacuation of the main terminal building.
Justin Tallis / AFP
  • A fire broke out at London's Luton airport on Tuesday evening. 
  • All flights have been suspended until Wednesday afternoon, and passengers have been asked to steer clear of the airport. 
  • Five people were admitted to hospital and a sixth person was treated on site. 

London's Luton Airport has suspended all flights until Wednesday afternoon and asked passengers not to travel there after a "significant fire" caused the partial collapse of a parking structure.

"The safety of our passengers and staff remains our main priority. We have therefore taken the decision to suspend all flights until 12:00 on Wednesday 11th October," the airport said in a statement issued early Wednesday morning.

"Passengers are advised not to travel to the airport at this time, as access remains severely restricted," it added.

Five people, including four firefighters and an airport employee, were admitted to hospital, according to the local ambulance service.

Another person was treated on site.

READ | UK air travel faces days of disruption due to technical problem, minister says

The fire broke out around 21:00 (20:00 GMT) in the airport's newly built car park.

Russell Taylor, 41, an account director from Scotland told British newswire PA: 

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."

Footage broadcast on British television showed flames engulfing a multi-storey building near the airport.

The Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service said its crew was working to extinguish the fire and prevent it from spreading to other nearby buildings and vehicles.

"One half of the structure is fully involved in fire and the building has suffered a significant structural collapse," it wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

ALSO READ | BA cancels dozens of Heathrow flights before long weekend

"Local residents are advised to close windows and doors and avoid the area."

About 40 kilometres (25 miles) north of central London, Luton is served by several budget carriers and is one of six major airports in the British capital.

It handled around 13 million passengers in 2022.



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