London’s Heathrow Airport announces complete shutdown due to ‘significant power outage’
Heathrow Airport in London has announced a complete shutdown after safety concerns due to a "significant power outage."
“Due to a fire at an electrical substation supplying the airport, Heathrow is experiencing a significant power outage,” Heathrow Airport said in a statement on X on Friday.
It added in the statement that the airport will remain closed all day Friday due to the dangers caused by the loss of power. “To maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues, Heathrow will be closed until 11:59 pm [local time Friday]."
Several flights were already being diverted, according to flight-tracking website FlightRadar24, while airport authorities said they “expect significant disruption over the coming days”.
Flight tracking website FlightRadar24 reported 120 flights were in the air when the announcement came.
The flights had to be diverted to other airports or turned back to their original location.
Flight passengers have been asked not to travel to the airport and contact their airlines for further information.
The shutdown could affect hundreds of thousands of flight passengers as Heathrow is one of the busiest airports in the world.
In 2023 it saw 83.9 million passengers with every major airline passing through.
In the meantime, videos shared on social media showed huge flames and smoke rising into the air early Friday.
London Fire Brigade reported that a transformer in the substation was on fire in Hayes, west London, with 10 fire engines and approximately 70 firefighters responding to the incident.
“Firefighters have led 29 people to safety from neighboring properties, and as a precaution, a 200-metre cordon has been established, with around 150 people evacuated,” Assistant Commissioner Pat Goulbourne said in a statement.
London Fire Brigade said fire officials were called to the area around 11:23 pm on Thursday and crews have been on scene throughout the night.
The fire officials said the cause of the fire is yet unknown.
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