Disruption to Cork flights following car park blaze at London airport

Some disruption to flights travelling to and from Luton Airport is being experienced in Cork today following a car park fire at the London airport last night.

Cork passengers are among thousands of people internationally being affected by delays after a vehicle fire led to the temporary closure of Luton airport.

The incident occurred shortly before 9pm last night, with the first flights following the fire expected to recommence later this afternoon at London Luton. 

In Cork, Ryanair flight FR423 due to arrive into Cork Airport at 2.20pm is now not expected to land until 4.10pm.

Meanwhile, Ryanair flight FR424 scheduled to depart Cork Airport at 2.45pm has also been delayed.

The fire at Luton Airport’s Terminal Car Park 2 was declared a major incident, with firefighters working through the night and into the early hours of this morning to extinguish the blaze.

Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service received a call about a car fire on level three of Terminal Car Park 2 at 8.47pm.

Fifteen fire appliances and more than 100 firefighters were deployed.

Four firefighters and a member of airport staff were taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation and another firefighter was treated at the scene.

The blaze is believed to have started with a diesel-powered vehicle “and then that fire has quickly and rapidly spread”, Andrew Hopkinson, chief fire officer for Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, said.

There is no suggestion that the blaze happened intentionally.

In a statement this afternoon Luton Airport said teams have worked hard to get the airport operational, with the first passengers now re-entering the terminal and the first flights expected to depart from 3pm.