Heathrow Airport in London, one of the most bustling airports globally, has announced a complete closure for the whole day today because of a significant power failure caused by a large fire close by.
The airport stated that “passengers should not travel to the airport under any circumstances until it reopens.”
It also warned that significant disruptions are expected over the coming days.
Cause of fire unknown, authorities say 
According to a statement from the London Fire Brigade, a transformer in an electrical substation in Hayes, located in west London, caught fire. The statement mentioned that ten fire engines and approximately 70 firefighters were on site tackling the blaze.
As a precaution, around 150 individuals have been evacuated, and a 200-meter cordon has been established, stated Assistant Commissioner Pat Goulbourne. Firefighters have safely escorted 29 people from nearby properties to secure locations.
Fire officials said they were called to the fire around 11.23pm local time on Thursday and crews have been on scene throughout the night.
The cause of the fire is not yet known, they said.
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Videos shared on social media showed huge flames and smoke rising into the air early Friday.
“As we head into the morning, disruption is expected to increase, and we urge people to avoid the area wherever possible,” Goulbourne said.
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks said they are aware of a “widespread power cut” in the London suburbs of Hayes, Hounslow and surrounding areas, near the airport. According to its website, the unplanned outage was affecting more than 16,000 homes.
Passengers are advised not to travel to Heathrow and should contact their airline for further information, the airport said in its statement.
Videos shared on social media showed Heathrow Airport largely dark amid the power outage.
