Flights were disrupted after Luton Airport was closed because of a fire which caused the partial collapse of a newly-built multi-storey car park.

The blaze which began on Tuesday evening destroyed hundreds of cars.

Flights were cancelled since the fire broke out at around 9pm and were expected to resume at around noon, the airport said.

Four firefighters and a member of airport staff were taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation and another firefighter was treated at the scene.

Russell Taylor, 41, an account director from Kinross, 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.

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

In a statement at 3am, the airport said: “Emergency services continue to respond to a significant fire in Terminal Car Park 2, which has resulted in a partial structural collapse.

“All flights are suspended until 12pm on Wednesday. Passengers are advised not to travel to the airport at this time.”

More than 15 crews from Bedfordshire Fire Service tackled the blaze with nearby residents advised to close their windows to avoid the smoke.

Watkin Jones

The student accommodation and build to rent homes specialist Watkin Jones has warned of a further deterioration in forecast underlying profit for the year after being hit by extra costs in the race to complete schemes.

The firm said it had met its target to complete four schemes in the second half of the financial year but had incurred additional costs, including acceleration costs to ensure successful completion on two schemes. It has also sold its three non-core private rental sector operational assets.

But previously forecast underlying profit of £2m will slip to breakeven with revenue for the year set to exceed £400m.

In a year-end trading update it said it had now pared back overheard costs in a streamlining exercise expected to generate annualised savings of over £2m.

Travis Perkins

UK building merchant Travis Perkins has warned full-year profits will be well below previous guidance as a slowdown in new building hit its revenues. 

In a trading update, the Northampton-based firm said operating profits for the year would be between £175 million and £195m, down from £240m projected in August.

Nick Roberts, chief executive, said: “Market conditions remain challenging with continued weakness across new build housing and domestic RMI. Deflation on commodity products has also been greater than we had anticipated.“

BP

BP has confirmed its ongoing commitment to reducing oil and gas output, despite recent upheavals in its executive leadership, according to a report in the Financial Times.

The assurance was given at a two-day investor event in Denver by the company’s interim chief executive, Murray Auchincloss.

He stated that BP’s long-term objectives, including its net-zero ambitions, remain unaltered, the paper said.

Marston’s

Pub chain Marston’s reported healthy growth in sales and an improved cost outlook as it updated investors on trading.

The company said in 52 weeks to 30 September total retail sales in the group’s managed and franchised pubs rose 11.3% on last year with like-for-like growth of 10.1%.