London - Luton Airport has suspended all flight operations due to a massive fire that resulted in a partial collapse of one of its multi-storey car parks. This incident has led to injuries to four firefighters and one airport staff member who have been transported to the hospital.

At 9:38 pm, Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue service declared a major incident and, at its peak, deployed 15 fire engines, three specialized aerial appliances, and over 100 firefighters to the scene. One section of the car park was fully engulfed in the fire, and the structure itself suffered significant structural damage.

It is estimated that around 1,200 vehicles were present in the affected car park, many of which have been damaged.

As of 3:57 am, firefighters were still actively working to extinguish the extensive blaze and prevent it from spreading to nearby structures and vehicles on the airport runway. Police and ambulance services were also on-site.

The East England Ambulance Service reported that four firefighters and one airport staff member were admitted to Luton and Dunstable Hospital, while another patient received care at the scene.

In an official statement posted on Twitter, Luton Airport announced: "The safety of our passengers and staff remains our top priority. Consequently, we have made the decision to suspend all flights until 12 pm on Wednesday, October 11th. Passengers are advised not to travel to the airport at this time due to restricted access."

Videos shared on social media, including X (formerly known as Twitter), showed flames engulfing vehicles parked on an upper level of Terminal Car Park 2 on Tuesday night. The footage captured vehicle alarms blaring and loud explosions, with witnesses describing the rapid spread of the fire through the car park floor as "incredible."

Russell Taylor, 41, an account director from Kinross, Scotland, witnessed the incident after arriving at Luton Airport from Edinburgh. He recounted, "There were a couple of fire engines with a car ablaze on the upper floor of the car park at just after 9 pm. A few minutes later, most of the upper floor was alight, car alarms were going off, with loud explosions from cars going up in flames. The speed at which the fire took hold was incredible."

News Courtesy Bloomberg