Heathrow Airport Shuts Down Entire Operations Due to Major Power Outage
Heathrow Airport, one of the busiest airports in the world, announced a complete shutdown for the entire day on Friday due to a significant power outage caused by a substantial fire at a nearby electrical substation. In a statement on social media platform X, the airport warned that travelers should expect significant disruptions in the following days and advised against traveling to the airport until further notice. The closure is effective until 11:59 PM on March 21, as authorities work to restore power.
The London Fire Brigade reported that a transformer at an electrical substation in Hayes, West London, is ablaze, prompting a major emergency response. Around 10 fire trucks and 70 firefighters have been deployed to combat the flames, and approximately 150 individuals have been evacuated from the area as a precautionary measure. A 200-meter cordon has been established to ensure public safety. Assistant Commissioner Pat Goulbourne stated, “Firefighters have led 29 people from surrounding properties to safety,” underscoring the urgent nature of the response.
Emergency crews were alerted to the fire shortly before midnight local time on Thursday, and they have continued to work throughout the night. The cause of the fire remains undetermined. Meanwhile, videos circulating on social media depict towering flames and thick smoke rising above the skyline early Friday morning.
As morning progresses, the disruption is anticipated to worsen, with officials urging the public to avoid the vicinity of the airport. Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks, a utility company, confirmed that they are aware of a widespread power cut affecting over 16,000 homes in London suburbs close to the airport.
Heathrow officials have expressed their apologies for the inconvenience this situation will cause to travelers and assured the public that they are doing everything possible to resolve the issues promptly, although they do not have a clear timeline for when power will be reliably restored. Videos have indicated that parts of the airport are in darkness due to the outage.
As this is an evolving situation, updates will be provided as more information becomes available. CNN's Juliana Liu has contributed to this report.
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