Fire Near Electrical Substation Shut Heathrow Airport

Britain’s Heathrow Airport announced it would remain closed all day Friday after a fire at a nearby electrical substation caused a power outage, disrupting flights worldwide.

The London Fire Brigade reported that 70 firefighters were working to control the fire in west London. The blaze led to a mass power outage at Heathrow, which is Europe‘s busiest and the world’s fifth-busiest airport.

Large orange flames and thick smoke rose into the sky. About 150 people were evacuated from nearby buildings, and thousands of properties lost power. The fire brigade said the cause of the fire was unknown.

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Disruptions beyond the Heathrow Airport 

Heathrow Airport posted on X: “To maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues, Heathrow will be closed until 23h59 on 21 March.” It advised passengers not to travel to the airport.

According to FlightRadar24, at least 120 inbound flights had to divert to other airports. The website estimated that 1,351 flights to and from Heathrow would be affected on Friday, not counting possible cancellations and delays. British Airways alone had 341 flights scheduled to land at Heathrow that day.

Ian Petchenik, a FlightRadar24 spokesperson, stated, “Heathrow is one of the major hubs of the world. This is going to disrupt airlines’ operations around the world.” The impact was immediate, with Qantas Airways rerouting its Perth flight to Paris and United Airlines redirecting its New York flight to Shannon, Ireland. A San Francisco flight was set to land in Washington, DC instead of London. Some flights from the US turned around mid-air, returning to their departure points.

Travel experts warned that the disruption would extend beyond Heathrow. Airlines rely on precise scheduling for planes and crew. Many air carriers will now have to adjust their schedules quickly. Henry Harteveldt from Atmosphere Research Group stated, “The other question is, ‘What will airlines do to deal with the backlog of passengers?’ It’s going to be a chaotic couple of days.”

A Heathrow spokesperson told Reuters that there was no clarity on when power would be restored.

In London, many homes and businesses lost power. The fire brigade reported, “Firefighters have led 29 people to safety from neighbouring properties and as a precaution, a 200-metre cordon has been established, with around 150 people evacuated.”