Massive fire at London substation shuts down Heathrow airport, plunges thousands into darkness

London's Heathrow Airport, one of the world’s busiest travel hubs, has been forced to shut down until midnight following a massive fire at an electrical substation in the western part of the city. The incident has triggered a widespread power outage, affecting over 16,000 homes and causing major disruptions to air travel.

The London Fire Brigade confirmed that 10 fire engines and approximately 70 firefighters were deployed to combat the blaze at the North Hyde substation in Hayes, Hillingdon borough. A 200-metre safety cordon has been set up, and local residents have been advised to stay indoors with windows and doors shut due to heavy smoke. As of 11:34 a.m. IST, the fire was still active.

The disruption has had a catastrophic impact on Heathrow’s operations, with at least 1,351 inbound and outbound flights affected. The airport, which handled a record 84 million passengers in 2024, is now facing an unprecedented shutdown.

A statement posted on X by Heathrow Airport urged passengers to avoid traveling to the airport and to contact their airlines for further updates.

“Due to a fire at an electrical substation supplying the airport, Heathrow is experiencing a significant power outage. To maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues, Heathrow will be closed until 11:59 p.m. on March 21,” the statement read.

Airport authorities told the BBC that power restoration remained uncertain. “Whilst fire crews are responding, we do not have clarity on when power may be reliably restored... we are working as hard as possible to resolve the situation,” an airport spokesperson stated.

Flight-tracking website FlightRadar24 reported multiple flight diversions, while Heathrow officials warned that disruptions could continue in the coming days. Air India confirmed that all its flights to and from Heathrow had been cancelled for the day. “For more information or assistance, please call our Contact Centre,” the airline posted on X, sharing emergency contact numbers for affected passengers.

While Heathrow remains shut, flights to and from Gatwick Airport, located 60 kilometers southeast of Heathrow, continue to operate as normal. Gatwick authorities have stated that they are prepared to accept diverted flights.

Dramatic visuals of the fire, shared by Russian state-owned news agency Sputnik, showed flames engulfing the substation, sending thick plumes of smoke into the night sky.

Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN), which provides power to nearly four million homes across central and southern England and parts of Scotland, confirmed that the fire broke out at the North Hyde substation. “We are aware of a widespread power cut affecting many of our customers around Hayes, Hounslow, and surrounding areas. The site has been evacuated, and the safety of local residents, our colleagues, and emergency teams is our highest priority,” SSEN stated on X.

The prolonged power outage has sparked frustration among travelers, with some expressing disbelief that a major airport could be shut down for an entire day. “It’s an embarrassment that a key international airport can be brought to a standstill due to a power cut,” one user wrote online.

Others questioned the absence of backup power solutions, while some humorously compared the situation to scenes from the action-packed ‘Die Hard’ film series.

As emergency teams work to contain the fire and restore electricity, authorities continue to assess the full extent of the damage. With thousands of passengers stranded and significant disruptions expected in the coming days, the incident underscores the vulnerability of critical infrastructure to unexpected failures.