Luton Airport car park fire: More than 16,000 customers contacted after blaze

Up to 1,500 vehicles were affected when Terminal Car Park 2 became engulfed in flames on Tuesday.

Luton Airport has received more than 16,000 customer queries following a fire at one of its car parks earlier this week.

Up to 1,500 vehicles were affected when the airport’s multistorey Terminal Car Park 2 became engulfed in flames on Tuesday.

Drivers with vehicles still inside the structure said on Friday they had been offered “no help” as it cannot currently be accessed safely.

The fire at Terminal Car Park 2 at London Luton airport (PA Wire)

The blaze caused the car park to partially collapse, with the debris of some cars piled up within its blackened storeys.

Have you been affected by the fire? If so email barney.davis@independent.co.uk

A London Luton Airport spokesperson said: “Since Tuesday night’s incident, together with Apcoa Parking we have responded to almost 16,500 customer queries.

“Dealing with such a large volume of questions has naturally taken longer than we would have liked.

“Although we don’t have all the answers at this stage, we are working hard to provide more details as soon as possible.”

The blaze caused parts of the car park to collapse (PA Wire)

The spokesperson also said the Motor Insurers’ Bureau will be co-ordinating claims with all insurers, and that staff were on hand to assist those arriving at the airport.

Apcoa Parking said in a statement on Friday the fire had caused “extensive damage”, but it could not confirm the condition of any particular vehicle.

The airport’s Dart rail transit system, which opened earlier this year, also remains closed.

More than 100 firefighters battled through the night to extinguish the car park inferno, which left tens of thousands of passengers facing cancelled or diverted flights.

Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service revealed on Wednesday morning the cause of the blaze was a diesel car.

“We don’t believe it was an electric vehicle,” Andrew Hopkinson, chief fire officer for Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, said.

“It’s believed to be diesel-powered, at this stage all subject to verification. And then that fire has quickly and rapidly spread.”