Heathrow is closed and international flight timetables in chaos after a major fire at a substation in Hayes.
London Fire Brigade were called late last night as the fire tore through a National Grid networks sub station in Nestles Avenue, 70 firefighters tackled the blaze and finally brought it under control by around 0600.
But it has left Heathrow closed and caused chaos to both flights and passengers as airlines scramble to solve the global mess. Planes are being diverted and it is unclear how long the airport will remain closed.
Footage shows the transformer ablaze and it appears that has knocked out a back up generator so causing the outage. No one was reported injured and the Met Police are now investigating with the fire service as to why it happened.
National Grid released this statement:
A fire at our North Hyde substation in West London has damaged equipment, leading to a loss of power supply in the area. We are working at speed to restore power supplies as quickly as possible.
We are working alongside the DNO for the area, SSEN, to reconnect affected domestic customers. As of 0600, power has been restored to 62,000 customers, with 4,900 currently without power. Restoration efforts will continue this morning.”
London Fire Bridgate Assistant Commissioner Pat Goulbourne said: “This was a very visible and significant incident and our firefighters worked tirelessly in challenging conditions to bring the fire under control as swiftly as possible.
“Thanks to their efforts and coordinated multi-agency response, we successfully contained the fire and prevented further spread.
“We will maintain a presence at the scene throughout the day, assisting the National Grid as they assess the site.
“The fire has caused a widespread power outage, affecting many homes, local businesses, and Heathrow Airport. While power has been restored to some properties, we continue to work closely with our partners to minimise disruption.
“Firefighters safely evacuated 29 people from neighbouring properties and as a precaution, a 200-metre cordon was established, with around 150 people evacuated.
“Due to the significant smoke, we strongly advise local residents to keep their windows and doors closed, as some smoke will remain for a number of hours today. Scientific advisors will also be on-site this morning to conduct further assessments and monitor the air quality.
“Disruption is expected to continue and we urge people to avoid the area whenever possible.”
Heathrow Airport simply said: “To maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues, Heathrow will be closed until 2359 on 21 March. Passengers are advised not to travel to the airport and should contact their airline for further information.”
Heathrow is a global hub and has on average 1300 flights daily. The closure is causing widespread issues for the whole of aviation.
