Heathrow Airport in Britain – the busiest in Europe – was stopped early on Friday after a major fire at a power station for the power station to the Tram -Parties Center, causing disruption all over the world to hundreds of flights and thousands of passengers.

It was about 120 Heathrow aircraft in the air when the closure was announced, according to FLIGRADAR24.

About 70 firefighters were deployed to treat the “clear” fire at the sub -station in Hayes, west of London.

The videos on social media, which were apparently shot inside the Heathrow stations, showed closed stores and abandoned corridors, just lit by emergency lighting.

Heathrow, which holds more than 80 million passengers annually, has about 1300 take -off or drop per day.

British Airways said that closing its main position “will have a significant impact on our operation and customers.”

“We are working as quickly as possible to update their travel options for 24 hours and beyond,” he said.

Gatwick, the second most UK airports, said that he would accept some flights from Heathrow.

Others were transferred to Shannon in southwestern Ireland.

Gatwick said on X.

The Irish airport said that at least six flights were transferred from Heathrow Airport to Shannon Airport.

The airport authorities said they “expect a major disturbance” in the coming days, while Flight Flightradar24 said that at least 1351 flights to and from the airport will be affected.

“Heathrow is witnessing a significant energy interruption,” the airport operator said on his website, adding that he will be closed until midnight on Friday (2359 GMT).

“The passengers should not travel to the airport under any circumstances in order to reopen the airport.”

Flights transformation

The London Fire Brigade was called to the “important” fire in Hayes, West London, at 11:23 pm (2323 GMT)

10 fire engines and dozens of firefighters have been sent to the scene, while about 150 people were evacuated from nearby properties.

Batbat Gulborn, Assistant Commissioner of the Fire Brigade in London, said that firefighters worked “tirelessly in difficult circumstances” and that at about 8:00 am, the fire was brought “under control.”

Energy Minister Ed Miliband said the government “is doing everything we can” to restore power to Heathrow.

He said that the power outage left 100,000 homes without strength overnight, but that force was restored to all of about 4000.

“It was” speculation “that we suggest the moment the fire caused in the fire, the head of the Parliamentary Transport Committee, Ruth Kadbury.

“It is clear that there are questions about this,” she told the Times Radio newspaper.

She said the fact that the airport was dependent on one sub -station “raises questions.”

Other European airports, including Frankfurt, were accepted.

In Sydney, Kantas said two flights on their way to Heathrow -a non -stop trip from Perth and another via Singapore -both of whom were transferred to Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris.

A spokeswoman for the company said that seven flight flights returned to the airport or other airports and all Fridays to London Heathrow were canceled.

The airline said that a Korean flight is scheduled to leave Heathrow from Intech, South Korea, was 22 hours late.

Passengers

At Changi Airport in Singapore, a couple was told to fly to London to Agence France -Presse that they were already in the boarding area when they were notified of the cancellation.

“We told us that the trip was canceled due to a fire in London,” said the man, who did not want to give his name.

“They booked us at a hotel and they inform us when the next trip is available,” he told AFP.

“This is all that we were told.”

In January, the UK government was granted permission to Heathrow to build a third runway – it may be ready by 2035 – after years of legal disputes due to the opposition of the local population.

Five main airports serve the British capital and nearby cities.

But the capacity is extended, especially in Heathrow, with a length of nearly four kilometers (2.5 miles).

The same airport covers a total area of ​​12.3 square kilometers (4.8 square miles).

It was opened in 1946 as London Airport before he called Heath Row after Hamlet was demolished two years ago to make room for construction.

Heathrow is 25 km west of London, currently provides four stations and serves 200 destinations in more than 80 countries.

Among the main airlines last year are Dublin, Los Angeles, Madrid and New York.

This story was originally shown on Fortune.com

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2025-03-21 09:42:00