Late Thursday night, a massive fire broke out at a substation in Hayes, west London, prompting a significant emergency response. The London Fire Brigade (LFB) dispatched ten fire engines and approximately 70 firefighters to tackle the blaze, which has left thousands of homes without power and forced the evacuation of around 150 people from nearby properties.
Emergency services were alerted to the fire at 23:23, and a 200-metre cordon has been established as a precautionary measure. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. The London Fire Brigade reported receiving nearly 200 calls about the incident, highlighting the scale of concern among local residents.
The power outage has had a far-reaching impact, with Heathrow Airport experiencing a "significant power outage." As a result, the airport will remain closed throughout Friday. In a statement, Heathrow Airport officials advised:
"To maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues, Heathrow will be closed until 23:59 on 21 March."
The closure has caused widespread disruption, and passengers are urged not to travel to the airport and to contact their airlines for further information.
The fire has also led to a large-scale power outage affecting over 16,300 homes. Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks confirmed the extent of the issue:
"We're aware of a widespread power cut affecting many of our customers around the Hayes, Hounslow and surrounding areas."
Assistant Commissioner Pat Goulborne of the LFB described the situation as challenging for the firefighters:
"This is a highly visible and significant incident, and our firefighters are working tirelessly in challenging conditions to bring the fire under control as swiftly as possible."
Goulborne emphasized that crews will remain on site throughout the night to manage the incident:
"This will be a prolonged incident, with crews remaining on scene throughout the night."
Local residents have been advised to keep their doors and windows closed due to the "significant amount of smoke" emanating from the blaze.