Fire near London Heathrow closes airport. Which Ohio flights are affected? What to know
One of the busiest airports in the world, London Heathrow is closed today following a large fire at a nearby electrical substation that caused a power outage, USA TODAY is reporting.
Is this affecting any Ohio flights? Here's what to know.
The London Fire Brigade said a transformer within an electrical substation in Hayes in west London was ablaze, USA TODAY reports. Fire crews responded to the scene at about 11:23 p.m. local time on Thursday and worked through the night.
By 4:08 a.m. local time Friday, the London Fire Brigade said half of the transformer was still burning. Ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters responded. About 150 people near the fire were evacuated and authorities set up a 200-meter cordon as a precaution, Assistant Commissioner Pat Goulbourne said in a statement.
A Heathrow Airport spokesperson told USA TODAY that there is no clarity on when power will restored, and that the airport expects significant disruption over the coming days.
According to flight arrivals and departures listed online, there's a British Airways flight from Heathrow arriving at 8:50 p.m. today at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. A flight bound for London will depart at 10:50 p.m. tonight. Both are listed as "on time."
No other flights from Ohio's major airports to London were listed.
"Heathrow is one of the major hubs of the world," Ian Petchenik, a spokesperson for flight tracking website FlightRadar24, told Reuters. "This is going to disrupt airlines' operations around the world."
According to FlightRadar24, scores of flights were already being diverted to other airports. Some flights from the U.S. were turning around mid-air and returning to their point of departure.
Heathrow is located in the west London suburban borough of Hounslow, roughly 18 miles from Central London.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Fire shuts down London Heathrow. Are Ohio flights impacted?
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