All flights at London Luton Airport have been suspended after a fire broke out in one of its car parks.

Footage posted on social media showed flames and smoke tearing through cars parked at the airport terminal on Tuesday evening.

Vehicle alarms and loud explosions could be heard, with one witness saying the speed in which the blaze tore through the upper floor of the car park was “incredible”.

One witness said on X, formerly known as Twitter, that it looked as though the whole car park had collapsed, while another said vehicles in the car park were exploding every few seconds.

The airport said on X: “All flights are currently suspended as emergency services respond to a fire in Terminal Car Park 2.

“Access to the airport is currently restricted and we ask that people do not travel to the airport at this time.

“Additional staff are on hand to provide assistance to passengers.

Fire at Luton Airport car park
Screen grab taken with permission from video posted on Twitter of a fire at a car park at Luton Airport (@Soriyn23/PA Wire)

“Passengers should stay in touch with their airline for further flight information.”

The airport’s website says the car park that is on fire is new.

“Our brand new multi-story car park offering secure, on-site parking using just a five-minute walk to the terminal entrance,” the website says.

Russell Taylor, 41, an account director from Kinross in Scotland, saw the flames after flying in to Luton Airport from Edinburgh.

He told the PA news agency: “There were a couple of fire engines with a car ablaze on the upper floor of the car park at just after 9pm.

“A few minutes later most of the upper floor was alight, car alarms were going off with loud explosions from cars going up in flames.

“The speed in which the fire took hold was incredible.”

The East of England Ambulance said paramedics have taken five people suffering from smoke inhalation to hospital for treatment.