Footage shared online Tuesday shows a horrific fire that erupted in a parking structure at London’s Luton Airport.
All flights out of Luton Airport were suspended after a huge fire ripped through one of the terminal’s parking structures Tuesday evening, according to the BBC. The multi-story parking lot suffered “significant structural collapse” after a diesel-powered vehicle accidentally caught fire, the outlet reported, citing Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service.
No significant injuries were reported, but four firefighters and one member of airport staff were treated for smoke inhalation. Footage of the fire circulated online, showing a hellish blaze.
All flights at London Luton Airport have been suspended and people have been asked not to travel there because of a large fire in a terminal car park.
📹 mollythorne pic.twitter.com/kxCHtWpoxG
— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) October 10, 2023
A witness saw an explosion on the parking structure’s roof, and then a “flame that shot across the car park like a flame thrower,” the BBC reported. The lot is thought to hold up to 1,900 different vehicles, hundreds of which were likely damaged by the blaze. London Luton is the fifth-largest airport in the U.K.
Video allegedly showing the initial explosion was also shared online.
Luton Airport car exploded pic.twitter.com/geO2Q4KypY
— Lisa B (@Lisamfb) October 11, 2023
The structure appeared to lack a sprinkler system that could have helped mitigate some of the damage, Bedfordshire’s chief fire officer Andy Hopkinson told reporters. Because the lot had open sides, the fire spread “horizontally” through the structure before climbing up through the building.
A heavy police presence was still in place around the airport as of Wednesday afternoon. Public transport around the area has also been closed. Firefighters will remain on-site throughout the day to monitor the “smoldering remains,” according to the BBC. (RELATED: Residential Building Explodes In Chicago, Authorities Send ‘Mass Casualty Bus’)
But for those looking to rebook flights, they may be stranded. Airport hotels are fully booked, the outlet reported, and it’s unclear when Luton will resume the canceled flights.