Heathrow airport closure: What we know so far

Heathrow Airport, known as one of the busiest airports in the world, faced a significant disruption due to a fire at a nearby electrical substation. This incident occurred late Thursday night and led to a major power outage at the airport, forcing it to close temporarily. Firefighters responded quickly to the scene and managed to bring the fire under control by early Friday morning. As a result of the fire, many flights were canceled or delayed, and passengers were advised not to travel to the airport unless their airline confirmed it was safe to do so. By Saturday morning, Heathrow announced that it was open and operational again, but disruptions were expected to continue for several days. British Airways, one of the primary airlines operating at Heathrow, estimated that around 85% of its scheduled flights would operate on Saturday, although delays were anticipated. While most departures were able to leave as planned, a significant number of arrivals were canceled, with reports indicating that nine out of the first twenty flights scheduled to land were affected. The tracking website Flightradar24 reported that over 1,300 flights were impacted on Friday alone, highlighting the scale of the disruption caused by the fire. The National Grid, responsible for electricity supply, stated that they had implemented an interim solution to restore power to the airport and other affected customers. The fire at the North Hyde substation in Hayes, located west of London, was described as significant, involving a transformer that contained a large amount of cooling oil. Videos shared on social media depicted tall flames and thick smoke rising from the substation, prompting local residents to keep their windows and doors closed to avoid inhaling smoke. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but officials, including Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, have indicated that there is no evidence of foul play. The Metropolitan Police's counter-terrorism unit is involved in the investigation due to the fire's proximity to critical national infrastructure. Emergency services were first alerted to the fire at 23:23 GMT on Thursday, and the London Fire Brigade confirmed that the fire was under control by 06:28 on Friday. The investigation will focus on the electrical distribution equipment, and authorities have stated that it may take some time to complete a full assessment of the situation. The substation is located approximately a mile and a half from the airport, and the fire's impact on Heathrow has raised questions about the airport's backup power systems. While Heathrow does have backup power sources, it was not possible to switch them on immediately, leading to the decision to close the airport. Even after power was restored, numerous systems needed to be rebooted and checked for stability before operations could resume fully. The airport has expressed its apologies for the disruption and has encouraged passengers to reach out to their airlines for further information. In an effort to alleviate congestion, the Department for Transport temporarily lifted restrictions on overnight flights at Heathrow, which are usually limited to 5,800 flights per year between 23:30 and 06:00. The fire's impact extended beyond the airport, affecting thousands of homes in the surrounding area. More than 16,300 homes experienced power outages, and about 150 residents were evacuated from nearby properties. Local authorities, including Hillingdon Council, are providing assistance to those affected, including hotel accommodations for evacuees. Schools and nurseries in the area were closed, and local services, such as bus routes, were disrupted. The investigation into the fire is ongoing, with counter-terrorism officers leading the inquiry. While there is currently no indication of foul play, authorities are keeping an open mind as they gather more information.