Fire at Heathrow Power Station Halts Flights, Disrupts Global Travel

Image Credit: Reuters

Heathrow Airport was forced to shut down on Friday following a major fire at a nearby electrical substation, causing a widespread power outage that disrupted flights globally. Around 70 firefighters battled the blaze in Hayes, west London, which led to a failure of Heathrow's main and backup power systems.

The fire, which began just after 11 p.m. (2300 GMT) on Thursday, sent large flames and black smoke into the sky, and led to the evacuation of around 150 people from nearby buildings. Thousands of homes were also left without power.

Heathrow, Europe's busiest airport and the world's fifth-busiest, handles over 1,350 flights and 291,000 passengers daily. Due to the power outage, it announced that it would remain closed until midnight. Passengers were advised not to travel to the airport and to contact airlines for updated information. The disruption has caused widespread flight diversions and cancellations, with planes returning to their points of departure or landing at other airports in the UK and Europe.

Energy Minister Ed Miliband described the fire as "catastrophic," noting that it had affected the airport's backup systems. Engineers were working to implement a third backup mechanism, although the cause of the fire remained unknown. Industry experts warned that some passengers, particularly those rerouted to Europe, might face issues if they lack the necessary visa documentation to leave the airport.

Flight tracking service FlightRadar24 reported that at least 120 flights had to be diverted. Major airlines, including British Airways, saw numerous flights affected, with significant disruptions expected in global flight schedules. Passengers were seen walking away from Heathrow's Terminal 5 with luggage as roadblocks and train stoppages added to the chaos.

The incident has created a ripple effect, with airlines now scrambling to adjust their schedules. Travel analysts warned that these disruptions would likely continue for several days, causing a backlog of passengers and adding to the operational challenges for airlines. Heathrow, which has experienced previous outages in recent years, now faces a difficult recovery, with no clear timeline for when power will be fully restored.

 

 

 

 

 

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