Man Arrested Over Luton Airport Fire Caused By SUV Fault, Over 1400 Cars Destroyed

Suspect in his 30s released on bail, investigators believe fire was an accident resulting from a diesel SUV fault; airport and insurer manage around 16,500 affected customers.

• A man in his 30s was arrested as a precaution by Bedfordshire Police on suspicion of criminal damage related to a fire at Luton Airport that resulted in the destruction of 1,400 cars and major structural damage to a newly built £20 million car park.
• Current investigations suggest that the fire was unintentionally caused by a fault in a diesel SUV. As such, the arrested man has been released on bail pending the conclusion of the investigations.
• The airport had to suspend flights for nearly 18 hours due to the incident, leading to significant travel disruptions affecting more than 40,000 travellers with over 140 flights cancelled.
• The fire caused serious structural damage to a part of the airport's car park that had recently been constructed, leading to suggestions that the whole structure may need to be demolished.
• Officials from Luton Airport and its parking provider, APCOA, have managed around 16,500 affected customers since the incident, providing the Motor Insurers' Bureau with registration details of the destroyed vehicles.

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