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London Airport says it will close until Midnight on Friday for the safety of passengers and workers.
The United Kingdom’s Heathrow Airport has closed until midnight on Friday due to a power outage, throwing the plans of thousands of travellers into chaos.
Europe’s Busiest Airport said on Friday that it had suffered a “significant” power failure due to a fire at an electrical substation supplying the facility.
“To maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues, heathrow will be closed until 23h59 on March 21,” 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 apologize for the inconvenience.”
Flight tracking website FighTradar24 said the shutdown would affect “at least” 1.351 flights.
There were 120 aircraft in the air set to be diverted to alternate airports or return to their original at the time of the annuncement, according to flightradar24.
Heathrow Regularly Ranks Among The Top Five Busiest Airports Worldwide.
In 2024, the airport handled nearly 84 million passengers, the largest number on record.
Footage shared on social media showed an inferno several Stories High, Lighting Up the Night Sky and Emitting Massive Plumes of Black Smoke.
The London Fire Brigade said that it had deployed 10 engines and about 70 firefighters to a fire at an electrical substation near the airport in Hayes, West London.
“This is a highly visible and significant incident, and our firefighters are working tirelesly in challenging conditions to bring the fire under control as swiftly as possible,” Assistant Commissioner Pat Goulbourne said in a statement.
“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 minimize disruption. Firefighters have led 29 people to safety from neighbouring properties, and as a precaution, a 200 metre cordon Has established, with around 150 people evacuated. ”
Goulbourne said the fire would be a “prolonged incident”, with crews to remain on scene throughout the night.
“If we head into the morning, disruption is expected to increase, and we urge people to avoid the area wherever possible,” he said.
“Due to the significant amount of smoke, we strongly advise local residents to keep their windows and doors closed.”
More to follow…
