Luton Airport car park fire: New report breaks down what happened one year on from the blaze - including cause, response and aftermath

After months of piecing together the events that led to one of Luton Airport’s car parks collapsing, a new report into exactly what happened on October 10 has been published by Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service. Here’s what happened on the night:

8.42pm – Car that started the fire drives into car park

A Range Rover Sport was captured on CCTV driving into Terminal Car Park 2, in Easy Way. Footage showed smoke coming from the bonnet as it entered, and by the time it reached the third floor, flames were coming from the engine. It is believed that the fire started due to an ‘electrical fault or component failure’ in the engine of the diesel-powered car.

Despite much speculation, the car was not an electric vehicle. The report stated: “It has been confirmed by the fire investigation report that the fire originated in a diesel vehicle and the cause was accidental. It should also be noted that there were no Electrical Car Charging points in Terminal Car Park 2.”

8.47pm – Driver calls fire service

The driver used two fire extinguishers in a bid to put the fire out. They alerted the fire brigade to the flames coming from the car.

8.51pm – Second and third 999 calls

A member of the public who was inside the car park called the fire service about the blaze. One minute later, someone in Wigmore Park called 999 after seeing smoke.

8.54pm – Fire starts spreading to other vehicles

Air Traffic Control alerts firefighters that the fire is spreading to three other cars at the western side on the northern end of the car park.

8.57pm – Rescue pumps and drone arrive

Fire crews from Luton and Stopsley arrive on the scene. They attempted to access the structure via the northeast stairwell, but a key was needed to unlock the door.

9.10pm – Road to airport closed and firefighters enter

Airport security coordinated a closure of the underpass to the airport terminal. At the same time, the report stated: “Bedfordshire FRS crews progressed with internal firefighting.”

9.18pm – Fourth 999 call

A fourth person alerted the fire service to the blaze

9.24pm – 25 cars on fire

Service control was told that around 25 cars were now involved in the fire.

9.25pm – Firefighter ‘started to feel cooked’

After 15 minutes of firefighting, Alpha Team One “noticed that ‘temperatures were rapidly increasing and that the application of water was not having an effect’”. Due to the high temperatures, the team leader of Alpha Team One reported that “he ‘started to feel ‘cooked’ was becoming physically exhausted and his arms and hands were starting to sting’.”

9.26pm – All crews told to get out of the car park

After assessing the structure, all firefighters were told to evacuate the building. The report stated: “Group Commander A took the decision to ‘evacuate all crews from internal firefighting and to reassess our tactics’.” Cracks in the ceiling and walls of the northwest stairwell were also spotted. The report added: “Given the significant structural collapse witnessed by crews the early recognition of the risk of collapse almost certainly saved lives.”

9.30pm – Person enters car park

An agency worker at Luton Airport was seen by police going into the car park, in a bid to get their car out of the blaze.

9.37pm – Major incident declared

Around 80 per cent of the third floor was on fire and the fire service declared a major incident.

9.38pm – Three more crews arrive

Crews from Dunstable, Harpenden and Leighton Buzzard arrived, as well as the Command and Control Unit.

9.43pm – Another two crews on the scene

A crew from Ampthill arrived, followed by firefighters from Potton, Stevenage and Shefford.

10.00pm – All agencies briefed on next step and signs of imminent collapse

After withdrawing from inside the car park, Group Commander A told all agencies about the plan to “contain the fire on the third floor with external firefighting and agreed priorities for each agency”. Shortly after, Air Traffic Control could see cars moving on the top floor and Crew Commander sent to tower.

10.17pm – Airport worker rescued

The agency worker was found inside the car park, rescued and treated for smoke inhalation. The report stated they had used their “position as a worker at the airport to gain access”. Station Commander A said: “At some point, I was made aware by Police that a person had been spotted within the car park. I radioed Watch Commander A to establish if this was one of our personnel or, a member of the public. Watch Commander A got back to me very quickly and confirmed that they had located a LLA worker and they were now out of the building.”

10.28pm – Three firefighters and worker taken to hospital and flights stopped

Three firefighters and the agency worker were taken to the Luton and Dunstable Hospital for treatment for smoke inhalation. Air Traffic Control confirmed that all planes would be grounded in the area, but that drones were safe to fly.

10.30pm – Priorities change after building assessment

After looking at the scale of damage done by the fire, just two hours into the blaze, the tactics were changed from “containment of the fire on the third floor, to defensively containing it within Terminal Car Park 2 to prevent it from spreading to other buildings such as the DART Station and Car Park 1 and to protect the two aircraft in sector 2.”

10.38pm – Affinity Water notified about situation

To ensure that there was access to enough water, Affinity Water was told about the incident.

10.47pm – More crews help out

West Ashland and Broughton crews from Buckinghamshire arrive to assist.

10.57pm – Call for more pumps

Group Commander A sent an assistance message to “make pumps 15" – an order made to increase the number of appliances and firefighters at the scene.

11.05pm – Burning cars crash to ground level

There was a “loud noise” and bits of the car park and burning cars crashed to the ground level into the part “used as the drop off and pick up area”.

11.10pm – Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire crews arrive

Due to the seriousness of the blaze, more crews from Hemel Hempstead, Toddington, Kempston and Woburn were drafted in.

12.00am – Fire spread to all floors

A police drone was used to monitor the incident, with the fire now spread to floors one and two due to the collapsing of the structure. Group Commander A summarised the next few hours of incident: “Up until 03:00 a series of further collapses occurred throughout the building as [the] fire continued to break out across all sectors throughout the night.”

12.08pm – Airport fire tank used as water source

To aid the efforts to put out the fire, an airport fire tank was used as a water source as Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service worked with Affinity Water to increase the water pressure.

12.30pm – Flights grounded until 2.30am

As another crew, this time from Redbourne, arrived, the airport cancelled all flights until 2.30am.

2.10am – Firefighting starts again

A High Volume Pump arrived and after a water source was found, firefighters began tackling the blaze again. Cambridgeshire crews and more from Biggleswade and Sandy also got to the airport.

4.10am – More collapsing and water issues

The structure continued to fall apart, as issues with water access and pressure carried on. Airport closure would be in place until at least 12pm.

5.28am – Firefighting scaled back

A team from Mill Hill in London arrived to help. The incident had been reduced to six rescue pumps, one aerial platform, and one Hazardous Area Response Team.

7.29am – Crews damping down hotspots

The report stated: “Steady progress being made crews damping down hotspots.”

9.13am – Firefighting finishes

Operations to put out the fire had stopped, but crews were still monitoring the car park for hotspots.

9.59am – No longer major incident

The fire service said the fire was no longer a major incident and the airport enters “recovery mode”.

3.01pm – Flights start again and investigation begins

Luton Airport resumes flights from the terminal as an investigation into the cause and spread of the fire starts.