HEATHROW: Closed for the day (Friday 21 March) due to substation fire
London’s main airport, Heathrow, has been forced to close due to a large fire at an adjacent substation that provides it with power. According to a statement from Heathrow authorities, the airport is suffering from 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. We apologise for the inconvenience.”
Heathrow spokesperson
This will be a massive disruptor to airport operations. The airport is encouraging people to follow their account on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) for updates.
There is currently no estimate as to when power will be restored. It looks like it could take days rather than hours. However, Heathrow must have contingency plans for such occurrences.
The fire, which occurred at a substation in Hayes, West London, has also left thousands of homes without power and evacuated over 150 people.
Response
The London Fire Brigade (LFB) said ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters had been sent to tackle the blaze after emergency services received more than 200 calls around 23:23. The cause of the fire is currently undetermined.
The fire is expected to affect nearly 16,300 homes that have lost power. As a precaution, a 200-metre cordon has been put in place around the fire. Obviously, the effects will be wider than the airport’s immediate operations, but will affect the entire airport precinct.
“This is a highly visible and significant incident, and our firefighters are working tirelessly in challenging conditions to bring the fire under control as swiftly as possible”
LFB Assistant Commissioner Pat Goulborne in a statement to the BBC
2PAXfly Takeout
This will be incredibly disruptive to aviation across Europe and the world. Heathrow is a hub for international travel, especially for Australians heading to or from Europe. The knock-on effects of flights being cancelled and delayed and arriving flights diverted to other airports will be pandemonium-inducing.
Heathrow operations will be working overtime, as will other London and UK and European airports.
It is concerning that the loss or threat to one piece of infrastructure can jeopardise an entire massive piece of infrastructure, such as an Airport.
Contact your airline for advice if you are on a scheduled flight today or in the next few days.
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