As firefighters continue to fight a blaze at an electrical substation in London, more than 16,000 households have lost power, and disruptions at Heathrow Airport are expected to worsen into Friday morning. The cause of the fire remains unknown.
Blaze at London Substation Disrupts Power to Heathrow and Thousands of Homes
Blaze at London Substation Disrupts Power to Heathrow and Thousands of Homes
Firefighters are battling a significant blaze at a North Hyde electrical substation, which has caused extensive power outages in western London, affecting Heathrow Airport and thousands of residents.
Five hours after a fire erupted at a North Hyde electrical substation near Heathrow Airport, the London Fire Brigade remains engaged in efforts to control the blaze, which has resulted in major power outages across western London. As of the early hours of Friday, approximately half of the transformer was still aflame, prompting warnings of increasing disruptions.
The blaze at the substation has left over 16,000 homes without power, according to Scottish & Southern Electricity Networks. Fire officials stated that the incident is likely to be prolonged, with firefighters remaining on site throughout the night. “As we head into the morning, disruption is expected to increase, and we urge people to avoid the area wherever possible,” said Pat Goulbourne, assistant commissioner at the London Fire Brigade.
Around 70 firefighters have been deployed in response to the situation, as thick smoke poured from the burning structure, captured in images shared by the fire brigade on social media. In addition to affecting numerous homes, about 150 people living nearby were evacuated, as authorities established a 650-foot safety cordon around the site to facilitate firefighting operations.
Currently, the cause of the fire has not been determined, leaving local residents and airport officials on high alert as they brace for continuing challenges resulting from the widespread power outage.
