UK’s busiest airport shuts down (VIDEO)

A massive blaze which swept through an electrical substation in West London late on Thursday has led to a blackout at Heathrow Airport.

The transit hub, which usually handles about 1,000 flights per day, will reportedly remain closed until 11:59pm local time Friday night, as it is experiencing “a significant power outage.” Passengers have been advised to stay away and contact their airlines for further information, according to a message the airport posted on X.

The widespread power outage caused by the blaze at an electrical substation in Hayes has affected “many homes and local businesses,” according to a statement released by the London Fire Brigade.

As of 5:55am, firefighters were still working to bring the blaze under control, the service said in an early morning post on X (formerly Twitter), emphasizing that part of a transformer unit was still burning.

“As we head into the morning, disruption is expected to increase, and we urge people to avoid the area wherever possible,” it warned.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, according to the rescue service.

The flight tracking website Flightradar24 has projected the forced shutdown to affect at least 1,351 flights.

Flights have been diverted to airports in Ireland, France, and the Netherlands, leaving thousands stranded. British Airways is working to notify passengers of their travel options for the following 24 hours and beyond; Heathrow is BA’s main hub.