Heathrow Airport, Europe’s busiest aviation hub, was forced to close on Friday following a massive fire at an electrical substation in Hayes, west London, which caused a widespread power outage.
Authorities announced that all operations at the airport would remain suspended until just before midnight (2359 GMT), with flights being diverted to other airports, including Paris’ Charles de Gaulle and Shannon in Ireland.
“Heathrow is experiencing a significant power outage,” the airport operator confirmed in a statement, warning of “significant disruption over the coming days” and advising passengers to avoid traveling to the airport.
The London Fire Brigade described the incident as “highly significant,” with Assistant Commissioner Pat Goulbourne stating that firefighters were battling challenging conditions to control the blaze. The fire also affected local homes and businesses in the surrounding areas.
With Heathrow handling over 80 million passengers annually, the shutdown has caused chaos in global air travel, affecting airlines such as Qantas and United Airlines.
Authorities are working to restore power, but the full extent of the damage and the cause of the fire remain under investigation.
