Flights from Heathrow Airport were delayed this morning following a car fire in one of the airport’s tunnels. The incident, which occurred earlier today, caused partial restrictions to road access and significant disruption for travelers.
The vehicle caught fire within a tunnel connecting Terminals 1, 2, and 3. Emergency services responded to the scene around 3:00 a.m. to extinguish the blaze. The car was completely destroyed, but thankfully, no injuries were reported. The M4 southbound between junctions 4 and 4a was temporarily closed due to the fire, causing substantial delays for those traveling to or from the airport.
A Heathrow Airport spokesperson issued a statement regarding the situation: “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.”
Travelers reported lengthy traffic congestion on roads in and around Heathrow, Europe’s busiest airport. Some passengers already on planes also experienced delays before takeoff.
Initial reports suggested the vehicle might have been electric, but a London Fire Brigade spokesman later confirmed the car was diesel-powered. “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.”
In a related update last month, Heathrow announced strong financial results for 2024, with pre-tax profits of £917 million, up from £701 million the previous year. The airport saw 83.9 million passengers pass through its terminals. However, revenue dipped by 3.5% to £3.56 billion, and underlying earnings decreased by 8.7% to £2.04 billion, attributed to lower airline charges imposed by the Civil Aviation Authority.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves, supporting the airport’s expansion plan last month, prompted Heathrow to announce detailed proposals would be presented to the Government this summer. Heathrow’s chief executive, Thomas Woldbye, commented, “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.”
