Heathrow Airport delays and travel chaos this morning after ‘car explodes in tunnel’
Passengers planning on flying this morning from Heathrow Airport have been warned of delays after a car burst into flames earlier this morning.
The vehicle was seen on fire inside one of the airport’s tunnels this morning which connects Terminals 1, 2 and 3. The M4 southbound between junctions 4 and 4a was closed as a result of the blaze, sparking long delays for those on the ground and hoping to fly.
Emergency services were called to the scene at around 3am this morning to fight the flames. The vehicle was totally destroyed, although there were no reports of any injuries, and flights are still being delayed.
A spokesman for Heathrow Airport said: “Due to an earlier vehicle fire, road access to Terminals 2 and 3 is partially restricted. Passengers are advised to leave more time travelling to the airport and use public transport where possible. Latest updates can be found on Heathrow.com and our social media channels. We apologise for the disruption caused.”
People have reported long tailbacks on the roads in and around Heathrow, Europe’s busiest airport as some sitting on planes have also claimed to be waiting to take off. It was earlier reported the vehicle was electric, before the update.
A London Fire Brigade spokesman said: “We were called just before 3am today to reports of car fire in a tunnel near Heathrow Airport. Firefighters attended and discovered a car fully alight. The fire was safely extinguished by firefighters and no one was reported to be injured.
“The vehicle involved was diesel-powered. The airport has since confirmed the tunnel has reopened.”
Last month the airport revealed pre-tax profits of £917million for 2024, up from £701million the previous year, as 83.9 million people passed through its terminals. However, the airport saw a dip in revenues by 3.5% to £3.56bn, and underlying earnings took an 8.7% hit down to £2.04bn.
According to Heathrow, this is due to lower airline charges imposed by the Civil Aviation Authority. Backing the expansion plan last month, Chancellor Rachel Reeves backed its expansion plans, which led Heathrow to announce detailed plans would be presented to the Government in the summer.
Heathrow chief executive Thomas Woldbye said: “2024 underscores why Heathrow is the UK’s gateway to growth. Our colleagues welcomed a record number of passengers with good service, cargo volumes increased 10% boosting British trade, and we invested over £1 billion to improve facilities and boost resilience which creates more value for customers at Britain’s front door.”
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