Thousands stranded after Heathrow Airport closes due to nearby fire
ITV News reporter Fred Dimbleby is at Heathrow Airport which has closed following a power outage caused by a fire at a nearby electrical substation.
The shutdown has left thousands of passengers stranded, with more than 1,300 flights cancelled or diverted. Experts, including Simon Calder, are warning the disruption could last for several days.
The power outage was caused after a transformer within the North Hyde electrical substation in West London, which supplies power to Heathrow, caught fire. Tens of thousands of local residents have also been affected by power outages, with over 100 people evacuated.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said the government is working to understand the cause of the fire and what lessons can be learned.
He said: “My heart goes out to all of the people who’ve had their travel plans disrupted.” and the National Grid are working “as hard as they can” to restore power to the airport.
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