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London’s Heathrow Airport was compelled to cease operations until midnight following a nearby fire, which disrupted scheduled flights and caused significant turmoil in global travel. The airport, one of the busiest international flight hubs in the world, announced it would remain closed throughout Friday due to a fire at an electricity substation supplying the airport, resulting in a substantial power outage.
Heathrow Airport conveyed via a post on X that, to ensure the safety of passengers and staff, the facility would remain closed until 23:59 on March 21. Passengers were advised against traveling to the airport and were encouraged to contact their airlines for further information.
According to flight tracking website Flightradar24, nearly 100 flights were canceled, and approximately 120 flights destined for Heathrow were redirected to nearby airports such as London Gatwick, Stansted, Birmingham, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Helsinki, and Shannon in Ireland. The closure was expected to impact at least 1,351 flights.
Eurocontrol, responsible for managing air traffic operations across Europe, reported that arrivals at Heathrow were “regulated at Zero due to the power outage at the airport.” As per travel data group OAG, Heathrow ranks as the second busiest international airport globally, following Dubai.
The London Fire Brigade reported that early on Friday, ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters were deployed to combat a significant fire at an electrical substation in Hayes, near Heathrow, where a transformer had ignited. Although the statement did not directly reference the airport, it indicated that the fire had “caused a power outage affecting a large number of homes and local businesses,” with firefighters from Hayes, Heathrow, Hillingdon, Southall, and other nearby stations being mobilized to the scene.
The cause of the fire remains undetermined. Assistant Commissioner Pat Goulbourne stated that firefighters were diligently working under challenging conditions to control the blaze swiftly. However, he noted that the incident would be prolonged, with emergency crews staying onsite throughout the night. As the morning approached, further disruption was anticipated, and people were advised to avoid the area when possible.
A 200-meter cordon was established around the site, and approximately 150 individuals were evacuated, according to the fire service. Local residents were also instructed to keep windows and doors closed due to the substantial amount of smoke.
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks confirmed that an unplanned power outage was affecting more than 16,000 homes in southwest London. The utility company stated that, based on initial investigations, it aimed to restore power by 3 p.m. on Friday.
