Heathrow Airport Shuts Down After Substation Fire Causes Major Power Outage

By Staff, Agencies

London’s Heathrow Airport will remain closed throughout Friday after a fire at a nearby electrical substation triggered a widespread power outage, causing massive disruption to flights and travel plans.

In a statement, Heathrow officials confirmed the airport had "no choice but to close" to ensure passenger and staff safety.

They warned of “significant disruption over the coming days” and advised travelers to avoid the airport entirely.

The shutdown affects more than 1,400 daily flights and 200,000 passengers.

Airlines including British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Qantas, Delta and American Airlines have been forced to divert or cancel flights.

Around 120 planes en route to Heathrow have either returned to their origin or been redirected.

The London Fire Brigade deployed ten fire engines and 70 firefighters to tackle the blaze in Hayes, just north of Heathrow.

Officials expect the response effort to continue overnight, with further disruption anticipated into the morning.