The blaze, which began in a diesel vehicle on the third floor of Car Park 2, resulted in the destruction of 1,352 vehicles and the partial collapse of the structure. At its height, more than 100 firefighters from multiple counties were involved in tackling the fire.

The report highlighted that while current regulations do not mandate sprinklers in open-sided multi-storey car parks, such a system could have "changed and delayed the pattern of fire spread." The fire was exacerbated by strong winds blowing through the open structure, which allowed the flames to quickly engulf the surrounding vehicles.

BFRS concluded that the fire was accidental and praised the swift actions of the fire crews, noting that their early identification of structural collapse risks helped save lives. Crews from Hertfordshire, London, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, and Northamptonshire assisted in containing the blaze and preventing it from spreading to nearby infrastructure, such as the Luton Dart rail service and Car Park 1.

Alberto Martin, Chief Executive of London Luton Airport, welcomed the report’s findings, recognising the efforts of the airport's fire service and the collaborative response from all agencies. He also confirmed that construction is underway for a new car park, which will include a fire suppressant system.

BFRS has advocated for mandatory sprinkler systems in multi-storey car parks, stating that national guidance and legislation should be updated to reflect the need for automatic fire suppression systems in such structures. The report further stressed that electric vehicles played no role in worsening the fire’s outcome.

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