Heathrow Airport closed as major fire breaks out at London substation

New Delhi: Heathrow Airport in London has suspended operations for the day due to a power outage caused by a fire at a substation, which has also left over 16,000 homes in the western part of the city without electricity.

More than 150 people have been evacuated, according to reports from British media.

In an X post on Friday morning (Indian Standard Time), Heathrow Airport advised passengers to avoid travelling to the airport and to contact their airlines for further updates.

"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 11.59 pm on March 21," the airport said.

An airport spokesperson told the BBC, "Whilst fire crews are responding, we do not have clarity on when power may be reliably restored... we are working as hard as possible to resolve the situation."

As per reports, several flights have already been diverted, while the airport authorities "expect significant disruption over the coming days".

According to reports, the Scottish and Southern Electricity Network, which serves approximately four million homes in central and southern England, as well as northern Scotland, confirmed that the fire occurred at the North Hyde substation, with emergency services responding to the scene.

The London Fire Brigade reported that a transformer fire broke out inside the substation, triggering a massive emergency response. Ten fire engines and approximately 70 firefighters were dispatched to the scene. As a precautionary measure, a 200-metre cordon has been set up, and nearby residents have been advised to keep doors and windows closed due to smoke.

Heathrow Airport, the UK's busiest airport, accommodates approximately 1,300 flights daily. In the previous year, it welcomed a record-breaking 83.9 million passengers through its terminals.

(inputs from IANS)