A fire at an electrical substation in western London has caused a power outage, leading to the closure of Heathrow Airport for the day. Over 16,000 homes have been left without electricity, and more than 150 people have been evacuated, according to British media reports.
In a post on X early Friday, Heathrow Airport advised travelers against heading to the airport and urged them to contact their airlines for 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 pm on March 21,” the airport announced.
A Heathrow spokesperson told the BBC, “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.”
Reports indicate that several flights have already been diverted, and authorities anticipate “significant disruption over the coming days.”
The fire occurred at the North Hyde substation, which supplies power to millions of homes in central and southern England and the north of Scotland. The Scottish and Southern Electricity Network confirmed that emergency teams are responding.
The London Fire Brigade stated that a transformer inside the substation caught fire, prompting a large-scale emergency response. Around 70 firefighters and 10 fire engines were dispatched to the scene. A 200-metre safety cordon has been established, and residents have been advised to keep their doors and windows closed due to smoke.
As the UK’s busiest airport, Heathrow handles approximately 1,300 flights daily and saw a record 83.9 million passengers pass through its terminals last year.
