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Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service has published the full fire investigation report into the car park fire at Luton Airport that destroyed over 1300 vehicles, involved over 100 firefighters at its height and is now calling for sprinklers to be mandatory in multi-storey car parks.
The fire in Terminal Car Park 2 at Luton Airport on 10 October 2023 was described by the service as one of the most significant incidents the it has responded to in recent years. In March this year, the service confirmed that the fire was started accidentally and originated in a diesel vehicle – and not an electric vehicle – and spread quickly.
The full report detailing the joint fire investigation by Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service and Bedfordshire Police states that the combination of the wind spreading the fire through the open sided car park and the impact that running fuel had on the spread of the fire resulted in the loss of the car park.
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Commenting on the publication of the 110 page report published one year after the fire, Chief Fire Officer Andy Hopkinson said evidence from research into car park fires across the world showed that the installation of sprinklers reduced property loss by 95 per cent when compared with an uncontrolled fire.
The report concludes that steps should be taken to mandate the use of sprinklers in open sided car parks and notes that in January 2024, CFO Hopkinson wrote to the owner of Luton Airport recommending the installation of sprinklers in the new car park and that the service “understands” it will include a suitable sprinkler system.
“ We will be using the learning from this incident to support the National Fire Chiefs Council in lobbying for a change in national guidance and legislation to make the provision of automatic water suppression systems, such as sprinklers, a requirement in multi-storey car parks.”
Andy Hopkinson, Chief Fire Officer, Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service.
There is a detailed timeline of the incident showing the full operational response. It shows the first 999 call received at 20:47 on 10 October and the declaration of a major incident 90 minutes later as the fire spread throughout the five storey structure.. The firefighting effort saw over 100 firefighters at its peak then reduced over the 12 hour period to a point at 09:13 the next day when the firefighting operation finished.
The full report is available from Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service.
