A “‘diesel-powered” automobile, and not one that was battery-powered, sparked the widespread fire earlier this week at Luton airport’s parking lot near London, according fire department officials.
The blaze, which damaged about 1,500 vehicles in the car park and led to the temporary closure of the airport, was not instigated by an EV. “We don’t believe it was an electric vehicle,” Andrew Hopkinson, chief fire officer for Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, said. “It’s believed to be diesel-powered, at this stage all subject to verification.”
The Daily Mail reported that the fire started under the hood of a Range Rover diesel, caused by an electric fault or fuel line leak.
Five people — four firefighters and an airline official — were treated for minor smoke injuries. As many as 50,000 passengers are thought to have been affected by 273 suspended, cancelled or diverted flights.
The fire erupted on the third floor of the newly-built Terminal 2 car park at around 9 p.m. on Tuesday. The car park partially collapsed as a result of the fire. It was contained by Wednesday morning and the airport reopened that afternoon, although airlines reported many delays and cancellations. Luton, 35 miies north of central London, is a hub for easyJet, Ryanair and other budget airlines.
