London Heathrow Airport, one of the world's busiest, was forced to shut down on Friday due to a fire at an electrical substation in North Hyde, Hayes, west London. The fire caused a widespread power outage, impacting both the airport and surrounding residential and commercial buildings.
The airport advised passengers and staff to stay away, anticipating that it would not reopen before Saturday. At least 1,357 flights were disrupted, with many flights diverted to Amsterdam, Frankfurt, and Manchester. Fire officials brought the blaze under control at approximately 06:30 GMT, and investigations into the cause are ongoing.
The disruption is expected to last for several days, according to aviation analysts. British Airways warned passengers not to travel to Heathrow, and the airport has advised passengers to contact their airline for further information.