London’s Heathrow Airport closed for 24 hours after huge fire at substation
London’s Heathrow Airport on Friday said that it will remain shut for at least 24 hours after a fire at a nearby electrical substation caused a significant power outage. All arrival and departure flights to the airport have been cancelled.
The blaze was first reported around 11:30 pm (5 am IST) on Thursday, after which firefighters were alerted. The airport announced its closure at 2 am (7:30 am IST) on Friday.
“Due to a fire at an electrical substation supplying the airport, Heathrow is experiencing a significant power outage. To maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues, Heathrow will be closed until 23h59 on 21 March. Passengers are advised not to travel to the airport and should contact their airline for further information. We apologise for the inconvenience,” announced Heathrow Airport.
However, there is no clarity on when Europe’s busiest airport will resume operations, said a spokesperson.
According to flight tracking website Flightradar, at least 120 flights bound for Heathrow will have to be diverted due to the closure of the airport.
Meanwhile, 10 fire engines have been rushed to the spot where the fire was reported from, nearly 3 kilometres north of Heathrow. The massive fire has left thousands of houses in West London without power, according to local media reports.
“The fire has caused a power outage affecting a large number of homes and local businesses, and we are working closely with our partners to minimise disruption,” London Fire Brigade’s Assistant Commissioner Pat Goulbourne said, reported international news agency Reuters.
