A fire burst into flames this morning at a site near to Heathrow airport. This latest incident comes amidst BA's crisis talks with the Unite union and staff's continued walkouts.
Willie Walsh is said to be fuming over yet another setback for the beleagured airline. Airport authorities managed to minimise disruption by switching runways, although some delays are expected.
Local residents described the scene where the blaze started, at a scrapyard nearby.
Mabel Arsennson, a Swedish lawyer said "We saw flames and heard roaring. I was very scared. My son Lars ran outside screaming.".
Garry Bern, a retired lawyer said he had never felt such intense heat. "The heat and smoke was unbelievable. I'm a heavy smoker so I'm used to smoke, but even I was coughing and spluttering".
Jeb Adair, whose son Graham used to play regularly in the scrapyard said "It's no wonder really that it went up. Wood piled up everywhere, old diesel drums and tin cans full of petrol left lying about, and people smoking wherever they liked".
Some residents expressed surprise that the fire did not shut the airport altogether. One woman, who did not want to be named, commented "I don't know why the airport wasn't closed. There seems to be much more smoke and ash in the air than when the Iceland volcano erupted."
Another man, in his early forties, seemed to be angry with the airport authorities "Why wasn't it shut down? Day in day out, they're flying in and out from there.
The only break there's been was when the volcanic ash cloud was in the air. Surely this is worse?" Rumours continue as to the source of the fire.
