Heathrow Airport terminal is evacuated and closed after ‘incident’

A terminal at Heathrow Airport has been evacuated as emergency services respond to a ‘possible hazardous materials incident’.

Crowds of people were seen gathering outside Terminal 4 while ambulances and fire crews rushed to the scene after 5pm on Monday.

‘Firefighters are responding to a possible hazardous materials incident at Heathrow Airport,’ an airport spokesperson said. 

‘Specialist crews have been deployed to carry out an assessment of the scene, and Terminal 4 has been evacuated as a precaution whilst firefighters respond,’ they added.

The London Fire Brigade said: ‘Specialist crews have been deployed to carry out an assessment of the scene, and part of the airport has been evacuated as a precaution whilst firefighters respond.

‘The brigade was first called about the incident at 17:01, and crews from Feltham, Heathrow, Wembley and surrounding fire stations have been sent to the scene.’

Those evacuated have been given bottles of water by airport staff while emergency blankets have been handed out to keep people warm. 

Terminal 4 check-in has been shut but all other terminals are still open and operating as normal.

A terminal at Heathrow Airport has been evacuated as emergency services respond to an ‘incident’

Crowds of people were seen gathering outside Terminal 4 after a ‘possible hazardous materials incident’

A Heathrow Airport spokesperson said: ‘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. We will provide further information as soon as we can.’

National Rail said trains were not stopping at Heathrow Terminal 4 due to ’emergency services dealing with an incident’. 

Most flights still appear to be going ahead and no delays or cancellations at the terminal have yet been reported.

In March, Heathrow Airport was shut after a devastating electrical fire which sparked worldwide travel chaos and days of disruption for hundreds of thousands.

The UK’s busiest airport was forced to close after its main electrical substation exploded and set alight less than two miles away in the west London suburb of Hayes.  

The closure impacted 270,000 journeys and was caused by ‘an unprecedented set of circumstances’, Heathrow chairman Lord Deighton said.

A Heathrow staff member told passenger that the airport terminal would be closing after an ‘incident’

Crowds of people waited outside the airport after Heathrow confirmed there was a ‘possible hazardous materials incident’

This is a breaking news story. More to follow.