Insurance update issued as Luton Airport confirms car park will be demolished after fire

Luton Airport has confirmed that most insurance claims have been settled after a large fire ripped through its multi-storey car park.

The fire broke out in the terminal two car park earlier this month (10 October 2023) and caused significant structural damage to the building.

Around 1,405 vehicles are believed to have been affected by the blaze.

In an update, Luton Airport said it had been working with the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) and the ABI to enable the “claims process to be managed as quickly as possible”.

“It is reassuring to note that the vast majority of insurance claims have been settled,” Neil Thompson, operations director at Luton Airport, said.

“Customers who have yet to receive a final settlement are advised to contact their insurance company as soon as possible.”

Building

However, the airport also warned that the multi-storey car park would need to be demolished due to structural damage and that cars parked on levels ground to three would not be recoverable.

“This is consistent with our initial assessment, which has now been confirmed following a full structural report,” Thompson said.

This came after the airport said it was working with the ABI to see if personal possessions could be retrieved earlier this year (15 October 2023).

Despite the most recent update, the process to remove around 100 vehicles from the top deck to stabilise the structure is ongoing.

“This has been a painstaking task and has taken longer than expected, not least because we have been hampered by periods of bad weather and strong winds,” Thompson added.

“Any customer who believes their car may be one of these, and who would like further information, have been advised to contact their insurance company directly, as they and their partners have begun the process of retrieving these vehicles.”