London fire that caused massive power outages, forced Heathrow to close, brought under control

"The fire in #Hayes is now under control, but we will remain on scene throughout the day," the Fire Brigade posted on X.

"Our fire investigators will begin their investigation & we will continue working closely with our partners to minimise disruption and support the community," it said.

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The Fire Brigade said ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters responded to a fire at an electrical substation on Nestles Avenue in Hayes.

No injuries have been reported so far.

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," Goulbourne said.

"We will maintain a presence at the scene throughout the day, assisting the National Grid as they assess the site," he said.

"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," he said.

"Firefighters safely evacuated 29 people from neighbouring properties, and as a precaution, a 200-metre cordon was established, with around 150 people evacuated,"  Goulbourne said.

The cause of the fire is still not known.

Heathrow Asks Travellers To Avoid

London's Heathrow Airport was shut down till midnight on Friday after a massive fire broke out at the nearby substation which supplies electricity to it.

Alerting passengers, the Airport wrote on X: "Due to a fire at an electrical substation supplying the airport, Heathrow is experiencing a significant power outage."

The airport authority further said: "To maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues, Heathrow will be closed until 23h59 on 21 March."

The airport directed passengers not to travel to the facility and contact airlines for information on their flights.

"We apologise for the inconvenience," the X post said.