A DRIVER had to leap from a burning car that started the Luton Airport fire while it was still moving, it was claimed today.
Firefighters worked through the night and into the early hours of Wednesday at the Terminal Car Park 2 to extinguish the blaze.
Footage on social media appeared to show a vehicle going up in flames
ReutersFlames as emergency services responded to the fire last night[/caption]
The charred remains of a badly burnt vehiclew8media
Footage posted on social media showed flames and smoke tearing through cars parked at the newly-built airport car park.
And a source close to the clear-up described how the car that started the fire “was being driven at the time”.
They told the Sun: “The car was being driven at the time when it caught fire.
“Somehow the driver managed to get out and get away from the flames unharmed.”
Families at the airport were being warned no cars would be able to leave the wrecked car park until at least Friday.
The Department for Transport said it was looking into the matter and would provide an update at the earliest opportunity.
Four firefighters and a member of airport staff were taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation and another firefighter was treated at the scene.
Luton Airport said flights would remain suspended until 3pm on Wednesday following a fire in a multi-storey car park.
Around 25,000 airline passengers are suffering disruption and at least 140 flights due to take off or land at the Bedfordshire airport have been cancelled so far.
Andrew Hopkinson, chief fire officer for Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: On arrival my officers were faced with a severe and rapidly spreading fire involving a large number of vehicles that ultimately spread to multiple floors and involved a partial collapse of the car park.
“The incident was declared a major incident at 9.38pm.”
He added that up to 1,500 vehicles were inside the car park at the time of the fire.
A diesel car on the third floor is believed to have triggered the blaze.
Footage captured a vehicle exploding through the concrete structure.
This is the moment a fireball blasted through a car park at Luton AirportTwitter
LNPHundreds of cars were ravaged by flames at Luton Airport on Tuesday night[/caption]
AFPA charred section of the parking structure this morning[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
