Flights have been suspended until at least 3pm at Luton airport after a major fire last night.
The blaze tore through the roof of a multistorey car park at the airport, causing it to partially collapse. Four firefighters and a member of airport staff were taken to hospital.
Passengers are being told not to travel to the airport. Flights have been cancelled and those expecting to travel should contact their airline to make alternative arrangements.
At least 70 easyJet, Ryanair and Wizz Air departures have been cancelled, as well as more than 50 arrivals.
The Bedfordshire fire and rescue service declared a major incident on Tuesday night and sent more than 100 firefighters. It said half of the car park, which is a few minutes’ walk from the main airport terminal, was “fully involved in the fire” and the building had suffered a “significant structural collapse”.
It is understood that up to 1,200 vehicles were in the car park and have been damaged. The source of the fire is believed to be a car, although the exact cause is unknown.
At 4am firefighters were still trying to put out the blaze and prevent it from spreading to adjacent buildings.
The airport’s latest statement, issued at 7.30am, said: “Emergency services remain on the scene following last night’s fire in terminal car park 2. Our priority remains supporting the emergency services and the safety of our passengers and staff. Therefore, we have now taken the decision to suspend all flights until 3pm on Wednesday.
“Passengers are advised not to travel to the airport at this time, as access remains severely restricted.”