The United Kingdom’s (UK) Heathrow Airport is closed all day after a fire broke out at an electrical substation in Hayes, west London, last night.
Passengers have been asked not to travel “under any circumstances” to the airport, which had been due to have more than 1,330 scheduled flights today, flying upto 291,000 passengers, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.
Nearby residents were evacuated, with one telling the BBC: “There was a huge bang, and the house shook.”
As of 11:00GMT, the London Fire Brigade said the fire was still burning, and Terminals 2 and 4 remained without power. Heathrow has warned of major disruptions for days.
Stranded passengers have crowded nearby hotels and pubs. Some flights have been diverted to other cities, including Glasgow, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, New York JFK, and Paris.
Authorities have restored power, but travellers should expect continued delays.
The Metropolitan Police has now confirmed that the counter-terrorism command is leading inquiries into the source of the fire at the substation in Hayes but stressed there is “currently no indication of foul play.”
A spokesperson for the British prime minister has said the government expects “there will be significant disruption in the hours and days ahead, and we will do everything we can to support those affected.”
