Fire in London causes airport closure: Turkish Airlines cancels flights

12punto FOREIGN NEWS

A fire was reported at an electrical substation on Nestles Avenue in London. The London Fire Brigade responded to the incident with 70 firefighters and 10 fire engines. Fire crews evacuated 150 people during the blaze. Images shared on social media showed flames rising from the substation and thick smoke. It was noted that Heathrow, London's largest airport, would remain closed for at least one day due to the fire. Turkish Airlines (THY) shared the information that all its flights to and from London Heathrow Airport have been cancelled.

British Airways announced that the airport's closure would have a significant impact on operations. The airline advised passengers not to go to the airport and to review their travel plans. British Airways stated that it is continuing its efforts to inform its customers as soon as possible.

UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband stated that there is no evidence of malicious intent regarding the cause of the fire, adding the following:

'Our focus right now is on getting the power grid back up and running. We do not yet have clear information about the cause of the fire.'

According to a report by The Guardian, the London Fire Brigade announced that the fire in the Hayes area has been brought under control. Fire crews stated that they are continuing to work with the Metropolitan Police to investigate the cause of the fire. It was noted that more than 16,300 homes experienced power outages due to the fire, but that this number is being reduced rapidly.

UK Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander warned passengers not to go to the airport, stating the following:

'I am receiving updates on the situation at Heathrow. I would like to thank the emergency services and National Grid. I ask passengers to contact their airlines.'

THY DECIDES TO CANCEL FLIGHTS

Turkish Airlines Press Consultant Yahya Üstün made a statement following the fire at Heathrow. Üstün noted that THY has decided to cancel all flights to and from London Heathrow for March 21.

Stating that passengers can access information regarding their flights on THY's official website, Üstün added the following:

'Due to a fire near London Heathrow Airport, there are power outages at the airport and in the surrounding area. Following this development, Heathrow Airport has been closed to flight operations for today. Our flights to and from London Heathrow for March 21 have been cancelled.'

IT WAS LONDON'S LARGEST AIRPORT

Heathrow Airport serves more than 80 million passengers annually and handled approximately 1,300 flights per day. In January, the government granted permission for the construction of a third runway at the airport. This project was planned to be completed by 2035.

There are five major airports serving London. Heathrow was known as London's highest-capacity airport. The airport, which began operations in 1946, frequently makes headlines due to capacity limitations.

Heathrow currently operates flights to more than 200 destinations in over 80 countries. It was noted that the busiest flights last year were to Dublin, Los Angeles, Madrid, and New York.