London Heathrow Airport has had a rough go of late. The check-in area has been cleared out at Terminal 4 due to a possible hazmat incident. The airport had faced significant crises recently, including a closure of the airport in March. Now, it’s in the spotlight again as it addresses this emergency, and it should be.
On Monday evening, a Heathrow spokesperson told CNN that their operation just began with regard to the current state of play. The landing zone of check-in area at Terminal 4 had been evacuated as a precaution while emergency services dealt with the situation. Just before 2:00 p.m., authentic transportation officials said to stay away from Terminal 4. The good news is that the disruption only seems to affect operations at this specific terminal.
This new episode comes at the end of an especially tumultuous chapter for London Heathrow Airport. In March, a massive fire started at one of the city-owned electrical substations just a few miles away from the airport. This unprecedented disruption resulted in a temporary closure of all airport activities. The incident caused chaos for travelers, throwing more than 1,000 flights into disarray and forcing pilots to divert their journeys midair.
“Terminal 4 check in has been closed and evacuated while emergency services respond to an incident. We are asking passengers not to travel to Terminal 4 and supporting those on site. All other terminals are operating as normal,” – Heathrow spokesperson
Given the prolonged disaster situation, specialized response units have been sent to evaluate the full area and damage. As firefighters continue to respond, officials have stressed again that safety is the overarching priority.
“Specialist crews have been deployed to carry out an assessment of the scene, and Terminal 4 check in has been evacuated as a precaution whilst firefighters respond,” – Heathrow spokesperson
The London Fire Brigade has since classified the scene as a “potential hazardous materials incident.” This designation, while important for safety protocols, places communities in uncertainty as representatives fight to determine what type of threat they are facing.
Here at London Heathrow Airport we are still reeling from our most recent debacle. The agency has come under intense scrutiny given a recent track record of major incidents. Travelers are encouraged to remain flexible and pay attention to airport communications as the situation continues to evolve.
