11.03.2025 13:30
A vehicle fire in a tunnel on the M4 motorway in England caused thousands of passengers and airport staff to become stranded. Following the incident, the tunnel leading to Terminals 2 and 3 was completely closed, preventing thousands of passengers with morning flights from reaching the airport.
A vehicle fire in the M4 motorway tunnel in England caused thousands of passengers and airport staff to be stranded.
The incident occurred around 03:00 in the morning. A vehicle passing through the tunnel suddenly caught fire and was completely engulfed in flames within a short time. Footage taken by eyewitnesses shows the vehicle engulfed in flames and thick smoke filling the tunnel.
The London Fire Brigade dispatched two vehicles to the scene and brought the fire under control within 45 minutes. No injuries have been reported as a result of the incident.
Airport employee David Thompson said, "Our bus to work was stranded in the tunnel. We were unable to move for about 90 minutes. Initially, no information was provided about what was happening, and people began to think of scenarios like a terrorist attack."
The fire led to the complete closure of the tunnel leading to Terminals 2 and 3. This situation prevented thousands of passengers with morning flights from reaching the airport. Many missed their flights or experienced significant delays.
Airport staff indicate that the closure of the tunnels is a serious planning issue. A security officer stated, "Having only two tunnels and two terminal entrances is a major problem. No other major airport in the world has such a situation."
Authorities initially thought the vehicle was electric, but later inspections revealed it was diesel-powered.
A Heathrow Airport spokesperson stated, "All roads have been reopened, but traffic congestion around the airport continues. We apologize for the disruption experienced this morning."
The Ministry of Transport announced that access roads to the airport would be reviewed to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.