This image, shared by the London Fire Brigade, depicts the fire at the substation in Hayes, England, which supplies power to Heathrow Airport, on Friday. (London Fire Brigade/X)
“Power Outage at Heathrow Airport Disrupts Thousands of Flights and Causes Widespread Power Cuts in West London”
After a major power outage brought on by a fire at a nearby electrical substation, London’s Heathrow Airport was closed until midnight. At least 1,351 flights, both inbound and outbound, have been affected.
Over 16,000 homes were left without electricity as a result of the widespread power outage caused by the fire, which started at the North Hyde substation in Hayes, in the western part of London. Emergency services have been working around the clock to control the situation as the fire continues to burn.
Firefighters were still working to contain the fire as of 11:34 am IST (Indian Standard Time), according to the London Fire Brigade.
Ten fire engines and about 70 firefighters have been sent to the scene. Authorities have erected a 200-meter safety cordon around the area to protect the public. Because of the intense smoke, locals in the borough of Hillingdon, where the substation is situated, have been urged to remain indoors and keep their doors and windows closed.
Heathrow Airport released a statement advising travelers to stay away from the airport and to get in touch with their airlines for more information in light of the emergency.
The airport announced that it would remain closed until at least 11:59 p.m. on March 21 due to the ongoing fire and power outage, causing significant disruptions in both domestic and international flights and advising passengers not to visit the airport. Flight tracking websites like FlightRadar24 have reported numerous diversions, and more disruptions are expected in the coming days.
The airport has not been able to confirm when power will be reliably restored while the fire is still burning. Although there isn’t yet a clear timeline for resolution, an airport spokesperson stated that efforts are being made to address the issue.
More than 150 people have also had to be evacuated due to the North Hyde substation fire, and emergency personnel are working to make sure everyone is safe.
Heathrow Airport explained the situation on social media, saying that it would affect all flights to and from the airport. While flights to and from Gatwick Airport, which is roughly 60 kilometers southeast of Heathrow, are unaffected, Air India confirmed that all of its flights to and from Heathrow on March 21 had been canceled. In order to help control the influx of impacted passengers, Gatwick has also offered to take flights that have been rerouted from Heathrow.
Social media videos demonstrate the fire’s ferocity, with massive smoke plumes rising into the sky and the flames illuminating the night. Major news organizations, including Russia’s Sputnik news agency, have shared reports and images of the dramatic scenes from the region, garnering a lot of attention.
An update on the situation was released by Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks, which provides electricity to almost four million homes in central and southern England as well as some areas of Scotland. They acknowledged that emergency services were attempting to contain the fire and that it had impacted a sizable section of their network.
The safety of local residents, their teams, and emergency personnel was the top priority, according to the electricity network providers. Ongoing disruptions are anticipated, though, due to the magnitude of the local power outage.
The fire has caused major disruptions at Heathrow Airport, which is regarded as one of the busiest airports globally. A third of the 84 million passengers that the airport handled in 2024 were from the European Union.
Compared to pre-pandemic levels, this represented a notable increase. Numerous irate travelers have voiced their displeasure over the abrupt closure of such a large airport, with many saying they find it unbelievable that a major international airport could be shut down for a full day because of a power outage.extent of the local power failure.
Concerns regarding the airport’s lack of generators or backup power systems have been raised by some social media users, some of whom have made light of the “Die Hard” film series, in which Bruce Willis’s character famously battles terrorists at an airport. The comparisons may be humorous, but it is impossible to overlook the gravity of the fire and how it affected airport operations.
Authorities and passengers are waiting for more information as the situation progresses regarding when Heathrow will be able to resume regular operations and when the power may be fully restored.
As of now, all eyes are on the emergency teams working tirelessly to control the situation, and passengers are urged to stay updated through official channels for further instructions.
- Want to Study in the U.S. for Free in 2025? Here’s How! - March 31, 2025
- 15 Proven Money-Saving Hacks for Students Abroad in 2025 - March 31, 2025
- The Truth About Passive Income in 2025: 7 Proven Ways That Actually Work! - March 30, 2025
