Sprinklers could have saved the £20million Luton Airport car park from collapsing after a huge inferno destroyed up to 1,500 vehicles, MailOnline can reveal.
A Government report into car park fires published in 2010 found that sprinklers do help extinguish such blazes and 'clearly assist in reducing structural damage'.
But they were never made compulsory - and a fire safety expert has now insisted sprinklers or drenchers should be 'mandated and fitted in all multi-storey car parks'.
A 600C (1,100F) blaze at the £20million Terminal Car Park 2 which broke out at about 9pm on Tuesday is thought to have been started by a diesel Range Rover, which investigators believe could have suffered an electrical fault or a leaking fuel line.