The Largest Aviation Flare-up - London’s Heathrow Airport on Fire and Power Cut

Image Source

The fire that caused a power outage in the busiest airports in Europe shut down the entire airport for 24 hours. Due to the blaze that set out at 11:23 p.m. on Thursday, air travel is being massively impacted by a daylong closure of London’s Heathrow Airport the following day.

This substation fire affected more than 1,300 flights in and out of Heathrow. Reports say that even after reopening the world’s busiest airport, it could take days for the entire continent to recover from this incident.

The power outage also impacted thousands of homes and businesses in the surrounding areas. This fire outbreak, the cause of which is unknown, forced almost 150 residents to evacuate. The blaze was fuelled by 25,000 liters of cooling oil inside the electrical transformer. Locals reported hearing an “explosion”. The London Fire Brigade (LFB) said that the fire that broke out on  Thursday night was, “under control but not out”. Assistant Commissioner Pat Goulbourne stated, “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”. Following this, the National Rail canceled all train services to and from the airport.

The first flights resumed on Friday night, but airlines have warned the public to expect days of disruption. Questions are mounting over the lack of an effective backup power supply to prevent Heathrow from closing. The incident has also led to wider concerns about Britain’s energy security and the power supply to critical national infrastructure amid fears of being it targeted by Russia or terrorists.

Heathrow, which is owned by a consortium of foreign investors including a French private equity firm, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, has been accused of underinvestment over a decade in which it has been fighting for airport expansion. The plans include proposals to build a dedicated power station. Ed Miliband, the Energy Secretary, is among those who have opposed the expansion of Heathrow, with the rows over a third runway feared to have prevented wider modernization at the airport.

 Willie Walsh, the former British Airways chief executive who now runs the International Air Transport Association, the body representing airlines, accused Heathrow of failing to ensure it had an alternative power source. He said: “This is yet another case of Heathrow letting down both travelers and airlines. And that begs some serious questions. How is it that critical infrastructure – of national and global importance – is dependent on a single power source without an alternative? If that is the case then it is a clear organizational failure by the airport.”

The videos of social media showed emergency services at the scene as flames came up from the site overnight. At least 37 flights ( two-way) between India and the UK were impacted on Friday. The aircraft bound for London were either diverted or returned to base. The power outage caused by the substation fire is likely to be classified as an “extraordinary circumstance” beyond the airline’s control. In such cases, airlines are not required to pay additional compensation, but they will offer refunds or rerouting options.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander denied confidence in the Heathrow boss who reportedly went to bed instead of working through the night after a blaze knocked out an electricity substation near Europe’s busiest airport. Earlier, asked on LBC Radio if Mr. Woldbye retained full Government confidence, Ms. Alexander said: “Heathrow is a private company and it’s a matter for its board who leads the company.” 

-By Haarshitaa Chandra