London's Heathrow Airport closed after fire at nearby electricity substation
What's the story
London's Heathrow Airport, one of the busiest in the world, has been shut down until midnight following a major power failure.
Thousands of homes lost power, and more than 100 people were evacuated after a transformer at the North Hyde electrical substation in Hayes caught fire.
The substation in Hayes is about 2.41km from the airport.
The airport confirmed that it was among those affected by the power outage.
Statement
No clarity on when power may be reliably restored
A spokesperson for the airportsaid, "Heathrow is experiencing a significant power outage across the airport due to a large fire at a nearby electrical substation. Whilst fire crews are responding to the incident, we do not have clarity on when power may be reliably restored.
The spokesperson said "to maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues, we have no choice but to close Heathrow until 23:59 on March 21."
Travel disruption
Passengers advised to avoid airport amid power outage
They also warned of major disruptions in the next few days and urged travelers not to make their way toward the airport under any circumstances until it reopens.
The extent of impact on incoming flights is still unknown. Flights usually resume at around 5:00am after a quiet night.
But amid the ongoing power outage and subsequent closure of Heathrow, its website has crashed, leaving travelers scrambling for information on their respective flights.
Twitter Post
Fire at Hayes substation
A fire at Hayes substation, caused a major power outage, closing Heathrow Airport until midnight. 70 firefighters tackled the blaze, evacuating 150 people and cutting power to 16,000+ homes. Passengers are advised not to travel to the airport.#UK #London pic.twitter.com/F4L7rjzxii
— GeoTechWar (@geotechwar) March 21, 2025
Fire incident
Fire at electricity substation causes widespread power outage
Pictures from the scene show huge flames and billowing black smoke.
The London Fire Brigade (LFB) sent 10 engines and about 70 firefighters to the Nestles Avenue scene, where the transformer in the substation was alight.
A 200-meter cordon has been placed around the site for safety.
LFB has received over 190 calls about the incident, which Assistant Commissioner Pat Goulbourne termed "a prolonged incident." He also warned disruption will increase through the morning.
Impact
16,300 houses have lost power
According to Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks, more than 16,300 houses have lost power as a result of the incident.
"We're aware of a widespread power cut affecting many of our customers around the Hayes, Hounslow and surrounding areas," they said.
With a record 83.9 million passengers last year and a jet landing or taking off almost every 45 seconds, Heathrow is one of the busiest airports in the world.
The cause of the fire is currently unknown.