The company managing London’s Heathros International Airport – the largest in Europe – announced its suspension for the whole day due to power failure due to fire on the substation of the electricity grid.

Heathrow’s spokesman said: “Heathrow is facing a long power outage throughout the airport due to a large fire in nearby electricity Substitution. “

“While fire crews respond to the incident, we are not clarified when electricity can be reliably restored. To maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues, we have no choice but to close the airport until 23:59 on March 21, 2025. “

“We expect a significant upheaval in the coming days. Passengers are called in no way to come to the airport until it is re -opened, ” added.

Heathrow

Thousands of houses are believed to be without electricity after the fire that broke out in a power substation in Hayes, about 1.5 miles away.

Pictures posted on social media show large flames and dense black smoke.

The London Fire Service (Lfb) said that 10 fire trucks and about 70 firefighters were operating on the site on Nestles Avenue.

About 150 people, who were at the airport as the fire broke out, were ordered to evacuate.

Heathrow

As news.sky.com reports, there is no official report on the causes of the fire so far.

LFB said it had received more than 190 calls to the incident – with the first being received at 23.23, while there was an extraordinary information to locals to keep closed windows and doors due to the “significant amount of tobacco”. About 16,000 homes have been affected, according to the agency.

Europe’s largest airport is also one of the five most busy in the world, serves Over 80 million passengers on an annual basis, or otherwise 230,000 a day.

Between flights that needed to change course It was a Qantas from Perth (Australia), who was diverted to Charles de Gaulle, Paris (France), as well as a United Airlines from New York (USA), who diverted to Shannon, Ireland, according to Flightradar24 data.