London’s Heathrow Airport will be closed for the entirety of Friday after a fire at a nearby electrical substation cut power to the area.
Heathrow, which is Europe’s busiest airport, advised passengers not to travel to the airport and to contact airlines for further instructions.
“Due to a fire at an electrical substation supplying the airport, Heathrow is experiencing a significant power outage. To maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues, Heathrow will be closed until 23h59 on 21 March,” the airport said in a post on social media.
The London Fire Brigade said in a statement that around 70 firefighters were working to douse the fire at the substation in Hayes, which is less than 5 kilometers from Heathrow. Around 150 people have been evacuated from the surrounding area and a 200-meter cordon established.
“This is a highly visible and significant incident,” said Assistant Commissioner Patrick Goulbourne in a statement. “This will be a prolonged incident, with crews remaining on scene throughout the night. As we head into the morning, disruption is expected to increase, and we urge people to avoid the area wherever possible.”
