Operations at London Heathrow Airport are facing significant disruption on Tuesday after a large fire in West London sent thick smoke near the airport.
The London Fire Brigade (LFB) declared the blaze a major incident as more than 150 firefighters and 25 fire engines were deployed to tackle the rapidly spreading fire at a commercial building in the area. According to LFB, crews are dealing with the “suspected presence of fireworks and cylinders” inside one of the structures, adding complexity and risk to the containment efforts.
With smoke reducing visibility and posing potential hazards to arriving aircraft, Heathrow didn’t perform runway alternation today at 15:00: “safety is our priority and due to smoke in the area we are unable to land on the northern runway”. Flights are instead routed to the southern runway.
Passengers reported extended circling over London and arrival times slipping as controllers worked to safely sequence traffic. Heathrow confirmed the adjustments were “precautionary,” citing the proximity of the smoke plume and the need to maintain safe operating conditions.
Departures from the northern runway were also affected, with some flights facing delays as operations were consolidated.
Firefighters continue to battle the blaze as thick black smoke rises from the site. Videos shared by locals show large clouds visible from several miles away, including from areas close to Heathrow’s flight paths.
