Heathrow Airport Closed for Entire Day Following Power Outage
London's Heathrow Airport shuts down operations due to a fire at a nearby electrical substation, impacting over 1,350 flights.
Heathrow Airport in London will remain closed until midnight today following a power outage caused by a fire at a nearby electrical substation that supplies it.
The airport authority has confirmed that operations will be halted for safety reasons.
A spokesperson stated, 'To ensure the safety of our passengers and colleagues, we have no choice but to close Heathrow until 11:59 PM on March 21, 2025.' Passengers are advised not to travel to the airport and to contact their airlines for further information.
The shutdown has resulted in the cancellation of at least 1,350 flights to and from Heathrow, Europe's busiest airport for international travel.
Initial reports indicate that power was restored to one of the two terminals that had been affected by the outage; however, the overall situation remains unstable.
Fire services reported that Terminals 2 and 4 experienced power disruptions due to the blaze at the substation.
The airport has suspended all incoming and outgoing flights, expecting to resume operations only after the midnight deadline.
Power distribution officials have stated they have introduced a 'temporary solution' to reconfigure the network, allowing some electricity to return to Heathrow.
However, it remains unclear if full power has been restored and the airport authorities have not provided a timeline for the complete restoration.
While the cause of the fire that led to Heathrow's closure is still under investigation, analysts have expressed concern regarding the UK's capacity to withstand attacks or natural disasters that damage critical infrastructure such as communications and power networks.
The airport authority has confirmed that operations will be halted for safety reasons.
A spokesperson stated, 'To ensure the safety of our passengers and colleagues, we have no choice but to close Heathrow until 11:59 PM on March 21, 2025.' Passengers are advised not to travel to the airport and to contact their airlines for further information.
The shutdown has resulted in the cancellation of at least 1,350 flights to and from Heathrow, Europe's busiest airport for international travel.
Initial reports indicate that power was restored to one of the two terminals that had been affected by the outage; however, the overall situation remains unstable.
Fire services reported that Terminals 2 and 4 experienced power disruptions due to the blaze at the substation.
The airport has suspended all incoming and outgoing flights, expecting to resume operations only after the midnight deadline.
Power distribution officials have stated they have introduced a 'temporary solution' to reconfigure the network, allowing some electricity to return to Heathrow.
However, it remains unclear if full power has been restored and the airport authorities have not provided a timeline for the complete restoration.
While the cause of the fire that led to Heathrow's closure is still under investigation, analysts have expressed concern regarding the UK's capacity to withstand attacks or natural disasters that damage critical infrastructure such as communications and power networks.
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