Heathrow Airport has announced it will remain closed until midnight due to a significant power outage caused by a large fire at a nearby electricity substation in Hayes. The airport spokesperson stated that there is uncertainty regarding when power may be reliably restored. Passengers have been advised to stay away from the airport.

The fire at the North Hyde substation, approximately 1.5 miles north of Heathrow, has also left around 16,000 nearby homes without electricity. Approximately 150 people have been evacuated and a 200-meter cordon is in place. The London Fire Brigade is working to extinguish the blaze, with 10 engines and around 70 firefighters involved. The cause of the fire is currently unknown.

Flights in and out of Heathrow, usually commencing at 5 a.m., have been severely disrupted, with at least 1,351 flights affected. British Airways has urged its customers not to travel to the airport until further notice. Heathrow, one of the world’s busiest airports, recorded 83.9 million passengers last year.

Significant disruption is anticipated in the coming days. The airport closure will have knock-on effects on airline operations globally. The incident is considered a “prolonged incident” by LFB Assistant Commissioner Pat Goulbourne, who expects disruption to increase in the morning and advised people to avoid the area. Additionally, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks estimated the power cut would be resolved by 3 a.m., affecting a graphic-identified area of around 16,000 homes. Firefighters and police are involved in the response, and residents have been advised to close windows and doors due to the smoke.

Source: https://news.sky.com/story/large-fire-at-electrical-substation-in-west-london-causes-power-outages-13332920