Major Fire at Luton Airport (10/10/23)

[ChiefPlanner]

Many years ago when I ran the BR freight bit that operationally dealt with car traffic - we had 2 quite serious fires in transit with brand new Range Rovers enroute Bordesley to Dover ......(pre Channel Tunnel) - we never got any blame for them , though we could have claimed for rolling stock damages , delay etc.

One superb driver spotted the fire on his train at about 0300 hrs the Dover side of Ashford - stopped the train , went back and split it twice and called the cavalry etc , who were able to deal with it from an overbridge and "only" 3 cars were burnt out , the other was spotted somewhere in Kent suburbia (by alert station staff) , who did the neccesary and robbed some ECS off every fire extinguisher till the local fire service did their bit.

All staff involved were well appreciated and thanked for their actions .........we never found out what really caused it, but they were limited experiences , fortunately.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Absolutely sure. It is indeed sooty, but the soot soon burns off once the stove gets going.

You'd not do it on a Tilley, though, the glass would end up black.

 

[jon0844]

All staff involved were well appreciated and thanked for their actions .........we never found out what really caused it, but they were limited experiences , fortunately.

Despite how many years ago it was, someone will probably still insist it must have been an EV!

 

[Bald Rick]

Many years ago when I ran the BR freight bit that operationally dealt with car traffic - we had 2 quite serious fires in transit with brand new Range Rovers enroute Bordesley to Dover ......(pre Channel Tunnel) - we never got any blame for them , though we could have claimed for rolling stock damages , delay etc.

One superb driver spotted the fire on his train at about 0300 hrs the Dover side of Ashford - stopped the train , went back and split it twice and called the cavalry etc , who were able to deal with it from an overbridge and "only" 3 cars were burnt out , the other was spotted somewhere in Kent suburbia (by alert station staff) , who did the neccesary and robbed some ECS off every fire extinguisher till the local fire service did their bit.

All staff involved were well appreciated and thanked for their actions .........we never found out what really caused it, but they were limited experiences , fortunately.

Despite how many years ago it was, someone will probably still insist it must have been an EV!

Yep, it was the Range Rover Milk Float.

 

[Cowley]

I think we’ll lock this for now until there’s further news lest we move onto hurricane lamps and candles.

If there’s further developments then report this post and we’ll look at opening it again.

I thank you.

 

[Cowley]

Thread reopened for @Haywain to update.

 

[Haywain]

The DART has resumed operation this morning (Sunday 22 October), according to posts by Luton Airport on social media.

 

[Cowley]

This is going to be quite a clean up operation:

Luton Airport Fire: Cars to be removed to stabilise car park

The airport's shuttle link is also operating again after the fire forced the service's suspension.

www.bbc.co.uk

Up to 100 cars are set to be removed from the top of a car park destroyed in a major blaze at Luton Airport.

The fire broke out on level three of Car Park Terminal 2 and is thought to have started in a diesel car before spreading rapidly.
Airport bosses say the car park is likely to be demolished and the operation to remove the cars will help stabilise it.
More than 1,400 vehicles were destroyed in the blaze, on 10 October.
The car park remains unsafe with adverse weather not helping, the airport said.

(Thanks to @crablab for providing the article)

 

[baz962]

Someone has been arrested in the investigation from BBC news

Luton Airport fire: Man arrested over car park blaze

The man was held on suspicion of criminal damage after the fire which destroyed more than 1,400 cars.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Bletchleyite]

Someone has been arrested in the investigation from BBC news

Luton Airport fire: Man arrested over car park blaze

The man was held on suspicion of criminal damage after the fire which destroyed more than 1,400 cars.

www.bbc.co.uk

Wow, that's an interesting development. As it's clear the fire started in a car (there are enough videos of it) I wonder what the allegation is - someone nicked a car, took it there and torched it? That's a proper "thick as thieves" situation, as nowhere has more CCTV than an airport.

 

[alholmes]

Interesting development. A friend of mine works at the airport and the story going around is that the driver of the car arrived in the car park, was running late for their flight and so was in a hurry. They apparently saw smoke coming from the vehicle, but left it there and didn’t deal with it, as they didn’t want to miss their flight.

I’m not saying it’s true - but it’s a story going around.

 

[Haywain]

Someone has been arrested in the investigation from BBC news

Being arrested is far from the same as being charged. The fire service have not, publicly at least, changed their stated view that the fire was accidental.

 

[baz962]

Being arrested is far from the same as being charged. The fire service have not, publicly at least, changed their stated view that the fire was accidental.

I didn't say charged

 

[Bletchleyite]

Interesting development. A friend of mine works at the airport and the story going around is that the driver of the car arrived in the car park, was running late for their flight and so was in a hurry. They apparently saw smoke coming from the vehicle, but left it there and didn’t deal with it, as they didn’t want to miss their flight.

I’m not saying it’s true - but it’s a story going around.

It seems unlikely as the burning car is pictured in the middle of the road, not in a parking space. You'd at least swing it into a space even if in a hurry.

 

[Haywain]

I didn't say charged

I know, I was pointing it out for the benefit of others who sometimes struggle to make that distinction.

 

[jon0844]

One video shows fire extinguishers on the ground, and I doubt anyone would leave their car in the middle of a car park (short stay at that) to get a flight.

It's not like they wouldn't end up with it being towed and a heavy penalty etc. It wasn't a cheap car.

I do wonder if someone may have simply panicked and run off. Maybe they weren't insured to drive it, or didn't have a licence etc.

 

[Haywain]

The report is that the person was arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage, there is nothing to indicate that they had any connection with the car shown burning in the video.

 

[Ediswan]

BBC has photos of cars being craned off the roof down to ground level. With the workers gaining access c/o another crane.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-67193165

Once removed, these cars will be stored in a safe compound and we will contact customers and work with insurers to inform them of the process of recovery for those cars. Only then will it be possible to assess the condition of those cars.

 

[Haywain]

BBC has photos of cars being craned off the roof down to ground level. With the workers gaining access c/o another crane.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-67193165

For those who are not familiar with the airport, it is worth pointing out that the truck waiting to receive a car in the third photo is parked right alongside the DART station. The pasenger entrance is at the other side, where people can be seen at the gateline.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I wonder if the criminal damage arrest wasn't for causing the fire but rather for trying to gain access to his car, and the criminal damage being of a safety fence?

I can see the temptation, but given how airports are covered in police and CCTV it would seem unlikely not to be caught doing something like that.

 

[Busaholic]

I wonder if the criminal damage arrest wasn't for causing the fire but rather for trying to gain access to his car, and the criminal damage being of a safety fence?

I can see the temptation, but given how airports are covered in police and CCTV it would seem unlikely not to be caught doing something like that.

Now that someone, we know not whom, has been arrested surely any further speculation should await developments?

 

[AM9]

Now that someone, we know not whom, has been arrested surely any further speculation should await developments?

I doubt that the police or fire officers will let opinions on social media about causes of a major fire guide their investigations.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I doubt that the police or fire officers will let opinions on social media about causes of a major fire guide their investigations.

It can be Contempt of Court, but only once a court case has started. As yet there's no evidence there's even been a charge, just an arrest.

 

[AM9]

It can be Contempt of Court, but only once a court case has started. As yet there's no evidence there's even been a charge, just an arrest.

Precisely, and it's not as if the name of the arrested person is being bandied about here either.

 

[skyhigh]

I wonder if the criminal damage arrest wasn't for causing the fire but rather for trying to gain access to his car, and the criminal damage being of a safety fence?

That's what is suggested in a Sun article.

The unnamed suspect, a man in his 30s, was questioned on suspicion of criminal damage.

He is thought to have owned a vehicle that was in the car park earlier this month.

He has been bailed, with his arrest described as a “precaution”.

Man arrested by detectives probing devastating fire at Luton Airport car park

DETECTIVES probing a devastating airport fire have made an arrest. Flights were grounded and up to 1,500 cars were burnt out in the blaze at Luton airport. Investigators think the fire began when a…

www.thesun.co.uk

 

[Haywain]

BBC has photos of cars being craned off the roof down to ground level. With the workers gaining access c/o another crane.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-67193165

Further to this, the BBC Look East TV report includes some drone footage which gives an indication of how bad the damage to the car park is, with a major collapse in what looks to be the centre of the structure.

 

[Crossover]

Some drone footage has now been posted on the main BBC website

Drone footage shows Luton Airport fire damage

Drone video shows the extent of the car park fire, which destroyed more than 1,400 vehicles.

www.bbc.co.uk

Interesting how there are burnt out cars all over, but the odd ones in between which look fairly unscathed!