Heathrow Airport Shutdown After Massive Fire Erupts in London Substation

Heathrow Airport in London shut down till midnight today after a fire in a substation in the western part of the city led to a significant power outage and left over 16,000 homes without electricity. It is also being reported that over 150 people have also been evacuated.

70 firefighters and 10 fire engines have been deployed by the London Fire Brigade, and a 200-meter safety cordon is in effect. Local residents have been told to stay inside and keep their doors and windows shut because of the smoke.

Through social media, Heathrow Airport advised passengers to not travel and contact their respective airlines for further details. Passengers were also told that Heathrow Airport will be closed until 11:59 PM GMT, 21st March.

Despite the announcement, an airport spokesperson also revealed that there is no clarity on when the power may be reliably restored. Several flights have already been delayed, and this will cause significant disruption even in the coming days.

Visuals from the accident went viral on X as a fiery blaze lights up the night sky and a massive plume of smoke rises into the air. Heathrow is among the busiest airports in the world, with over 51 million seats booked on planes, roughly a 5% year-on-year increase. Heathrow was also the busiest airport in Europe last year.

📹 POWER BLAZE IN LONDON SHUTS DOWN UK’S BUSIEST AIRPORT, HEATHROW – REPORTS

Firefighters are struggling to contain a major blaze at the Hayes electrical substation, causing evacuations and widespread power outages, Sky News reported.

Videos from social media pic.twitter.com/XwfAopJYvq

— Sputnik (@SputnikInt) March 21, 2025