Heathrow Airport is closed until 23:59 on March 21 due to a significant power outage caused by a fire at an electrical substation in Hayes, west London.
The fire, which started at 23:23 GMT on March 20, led to two explosions and a massive blaze, with flames and smoke billowing from the substation overnight.
Heathrow is the largest airport in London, and is regarded as the world’s busiest international airport as over 67 million passengers travel through the airport annually on services offered by 90 airlines travelling to over 180 destinations in over 90 countries.
A notice on its website reads: “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 23:59 on 21 March. Passengers are advised not to travel to the airport and should contact their airline for further information.”
The airport’s closure has resulted in significant disruptions, with 120 flights diverted to other airports, including Gatwick, Charles de Gaulle, Shannon, and Goose Bay.
Over 145,000 passengers are expected to be affected, with 1,300 flights impacted, assuming the airport reopens at midnight.
Locally, around 150 people have been evacuated from nearby properties, and almost 5,000 homes remain without power.
The National Grid has restored power to 62,000 customers, but many are still waiting for electricity to be restored.
The airport has warned passengers not to travel “under any circumstances” until it reopens, and emergency services are working to resolve the situation as soon as possible.
