JAKARTA - Heathrow Airport in England closed on Friday after a major fire at a nearby power substation cut off electricity, disrupting worldwide flight schedules.
About 70 firefighters handled fires in western London, which also cut off the backup power system in the area, which caused a mass power outage in Heathrow, Europe's busiest airport, and the world's fifth busiest airport.
A large orange fire and black plumes of smoke were seen rising into the sky at night before firefighters managed to control the fire.
By the morning, the streets around the UK's largest airport were mostly deserted, except for some passengers on foot carrying their luggage.
"Our fire investigators will begin their investigation and we will continue to work closely with our partners to minimize disruption and support the community," the fire department said.
The cause of the fire is not yet known. Meanwhile, Energy Minister Ed Miliband said it did not appear to have been intentional.
Heathrow Airport, which is supposed to serve 1,351 flights during the day, with 291,000 passengers, will remain closed until midnight due to a significant power outage.
"Passengers are advised not to travel to the airport and must contact their airline for more information," he said.
"We apologize for the inconvenience," continued the airport statement.
The fire, reportedly occurred after 11 p.m. on Thursday, forced planes to be diverted to airports across the UK and Europe, while many long-distance flights returned to departure points.
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