Live: Heathrow airport shut after fire causes power outage

Live: Heathrow airport shut after fire causes power outage

Heathrow Airport closed all day after a fire at a nearby electrical substation knocked out its power, disrupting flights for hundreds of thousands of passengers at Europe’s busiest travel hub.

Travellers are warned of “significant disruption” over the coming days. Also passengers told not to travel “under any circumstances” until it reopens.

At Least 1,351 flight to and from the airport in west London possibly cancelled today.

The implications will stretch far wider than Heathrow, and could impact flights much further afield.

British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Lufthansa the most impacted airlines.

The fire at the substation in Hayes has left more the 4,900 homes without power and 150 people were evacuated from surrounding properties.

Lord Ricketts, the UK’s first national security adviser, told Times Radio that the fire must be a “wake up call” on the need to protect critical national infrastructure.

Energy Secretary, Ed Miliband told the BBC that “we will have to look hard” at “resilience” for major institutions such as the airport.