Luton Airport car park fire could have been limited by sprinklers

A sprinkler system could have changed or limited the huge multi-storey car park fire at London Luton Airport, according to a new report.

Bedfordshire Fire & Rescue Service (BFRS) has published a significant incident report into the blaze on 10 October 2023 which was tackled by more than 100 firefighters at its peak.

The fire started in a diesel vehicle on the third flood of Car Park 2, but because of wind blowing through the open-sided structure it spread quickly and destroyed 1,352 vehicles and caused the building’s partial collapse.

Investigators said although a sprinkler system was not mandatory for an open-sided multi-storeys, it would have “changed and delayed the pattern of fire spread”.

The BFRS had already concluded the cause of the fire was accidental.

Alberto Martin, chief executive of London Luton Airport said: “We welcome the findings, which highlight the efforts of the airport fire service and our wider team.

“We continue to work closely with Bedfordshire Fire & Rescue Service and all agencies in relation to this incident”.

It added construction of a new car park was under way that included plans for a fire suppressant system.

The report said such a system, including sprinklers, would have increased “the chances of a successful outcome once firefighting operations had begun”.

Investigators said the fire started in a red Range Rover Sport which arrived at the car park at 20:42 BST on the night of the fire.

CCTV footage showed it entering the building with light coloured smoke coming from its engine.

At 20:47 the driver continued to the third floor when he stopped the car, exited, and called 999.

When first fire crews arrived at about 20:55 there were multiple cars involved in the fire, estimated to be about three visible from outside the car park.

At 21:07 the group commander arrived and was briefed that at least six cars were ablaze.

The fire is described in the document as “one of the more significant incidents to occur within Bedfordshire Fire & Rescue Service’s area for many years”.

The fire service said crews benefitted from having access to large water tanks on an adjacent airfield, and they were assisted by the Luton Airport Fire Service.

Investigators said: “Bedfordshire FRS has routinely promoted the installation of sprinkler systems into all buildings through the planning process since 2019 and during building regulation consultations since 2022.”

“However, the service cannot mandate sprinklers in open-sided multi-storey car parks similar to Terminal Car Park 2.

“A change in guidance and legislation at a national level should be considered to make automatic fire suppression systems (such as sprinklers) mandatory in all new open-sided multi-storey car parks.”

The BFRS report stressed: “There is no evidence to demonstrate that the presence of electric vehicles parked in the car park had a detrimental impact on the outcome of the fire.”

The report mentions the fire crews “almost certainly saved lives” by recognising early the warning signs of building collapse and they evacuated the site.

Crews from Hertfordshire, London, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire also joined the operation.

The document praised those crews for successfully preventing the fire from spreading to nearby infrastructure such as the Luton Dart rail service or Car Park 1.