The United Kingdom’s Heathrow Airport has been closed down until midnight on Friday due to a power outage, disrupting the travel plans of tens of thousands of passengers.
The power outage, according to the BBC, was caused by a fire at a nearby electrical substation that supplies Heathrow Airport. The fire broke out in the early hours of the day.
Videos of the incident circulating on social media captured towering flames reaching several storeys high.
In a post made on X on Friday, the airport warned passengers against travelling until the airport reopens.
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“To maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues, Heathrow will be closed until 23h59 on 21 March,” Heathrow Airport said in a post on X.
“Passengers are advised not to travel to the airport and should contact their airline for further information. We apologise for the inconvenience.”
According to Flightradar24, a flight tracking website, at least 1,351 flights to and from Heathrow will be affected.
Also, about 120 affected aircraft were already in the air when the closure was announced.
Heathrow Airport
Heathrow Airport is the busiest in the United Kingdom and one of the busiest globally, handling millions of passengers each year.
It ranks among the top five airports in the world and is considered one of the world’s most globally connected gateways, serving over 200 destinations across nearly 90 countries and territories.
Last year, it handled a record-breaking 84 million passengers.
The airport’s operations are crucial to both business and leisure travel, making this power outage particularly impactful.
UK officials have described the incident as a catastrophic event.
The Assistant Commissioner of the UK Fire Brigade, Pat Goulbourne, in a statement, said about 70 firefighters had been deployed to the electrical substation near the airport in Hayes, west London.
“This is a highly visible and significant incident, and our firefighters are working tirelessly in challenging conditions to bring the fire under control as swiftly as possible.
“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,” he said.
He added, “Firefighters have led 29 people to safety from neighbouring properties, and as a precaution, a 200-metre cordon has been established, with around 150 people evacuated.”
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